Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson became the latest signal-caller to get his lucrative payday after signing a four-year, $156 million extension. The market set by Watson and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes has only raised further speculation regarding Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson's looming deal.
There is no question that Jackson is set to sign a contract that rivals his fellow competitors once he is eligible after the 2020 NFL season. Regardless, he shared some high praise for Watson and maintains that he is staying focused on the task at hand, per ESPN's Jamison Hensley:
“Well-deserved. Great player, great guy. I’m focused on winning games.”
Lamar Jackson's approach is certainly understandable given the unnecessary distraction contract talks could bring while the Ravens are looking to take that next step into becoming bonafide Super Bowl contenders. He is controlling what he can while also giving credit to worthy adversaries like Watson and Mahomes.
Although Jackson may be more focused on beating them on the field in Weeks 2 and 3, the tale of the tape shows that he has already earned a similar price tag. After all, he is coming off a historic 2019 campaign that saw him throw for a franchise-record 36 touchdowns while rushing for more yards than any other quarterback in a single season (1,206) en route to becoming the youngest NFL MVP in unanimous fashion.
Despite his emergence, Jackson is well-aware that there is still plenty of work to be done. Fortunately, the recent comments from running back Mark Ingram indicate that he is poised for another spectacular year.
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