Browns' Deshaun Watson addresses Lamar Jackson contract saga

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson addressed the ongoing contract saga hovering over the status of Baltimore Ravens star Lamar Jackson this spring. 

"I reach out to Lamar all the time," Watson explained during a news conference, as shared by Myles Simmons of Pro Football Talk. "We talk through text, Instagram. We don’t really talk about the business side, because that’s his space, that’s his privacy. From the outside looking in, I hope he gets what he wants. Like I said, I never talk to him about it, so I can’t speak on his business side. But he’s a great player. And he’s going to be — if he’s back in Baltimore, he’s going to be special for them. And if it’s somewhere else, he’s going to be special for that organization."

Watson added: "I hope he gets what he wants and what he deserves. And I think he deserves everything, all of it." 

Watson and Jackson may be linked with each other for years to come for reasons that have little to do with being division rivals. After Watson didn't play a down with the Houston Texans during the 2021 campaign following an offseason trade request, Houston sent the disgruntled signal-caller to Cleveland in March 2022. The Browns subsequently gave the three-time Pro Bowl selection a fully guaranteed five-year, $230M contract.

Jackson allegedly has wanted to top Watson's deal, at least as it pertains to fully guaranteed money, since last year. Baltimore instead retained Jackson's rights for 2023 via the non-exclusive franchise tag that allows him to speak with other clubs, but there's no sign any team is close to matching what the one-time NFL Most Valuable Player reportedly wants. 

Jackson and the Ravens have until the July 17 deadline for teams to sign tagged players to reach a long-term agreement. Otherwise, the 26-year-old will have to either play on the $32.416M franchise tender for 2023 or threaten to hold out through the start of the season.