Deshaun Watson Broke the Market; NFL Owners Resetting with Lamar Jackson

The Baltimore Ravens applied the non-exclusive franchise tag to QB Lamar Jackson at yesterday’s deadline which allows other NFL teams to make offers to Jackson, offers the Ravens can match if they choose. Surprisingly, a slew of teams have announced just how uninterested they are in extending any such offer, and none have actually made one yet. Dan knows how angry the owners were when the Browns significantly overpaid Deshaun Watson a guaranteed contract and thinks they are using this opportunity to reset the quarterback market.

Dan Patrick: “I know what the owners want to do. They want to reset the market because the Browns were stupid giving Deshaun Watson a deal that he could not turn down. And that’s what it was. Because Deshaun Watson said, ‘I’m ruling out the Browns.’ Then the Browns go, ‘Uh...$230M guaranteed?’ ‘I am ruling the Browns in! In fact, I’m going to the Cleveland Browns.’ Well, the other owners were livid! Speaking with somebody with the NFL yesterday and they’re like, ‘They’re going to reset the market. They were not pleased with what Jimmy Haslam and the Browns did.’ But they were desperate...If Deshaun Watson doesn’t have that deal then Baltimore’s probably re-signed Lamar Jackson.”