Financial future
Watson, Mahomes offer glimpse into Jackson’s long-term contract extension worth as leader
RAVENS
Lamar Jackson will stare at two possible versions of his financial future over the next two weekends as the Ravens play the Houston Texans and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Deshaun Watson of the Texans and Patrick Mahomes of the Chiefs were the last two quarterbacks to sign gargantuan contract extensions and as such, they provide a glimpse of the context in which Jackson and the Ravens will negotiate an extension, perhaps as soon as next offseason.
The 23-year-old Jackson has resolutely said he’s focused on winning a Super Bowl, not swelling his bank account or keeping economic pace with his peers at the most scrutinized position in American sports. But the approach he and the Ravens take to negotiations will have an outsized impact on the future of the franchise.
There are many questions at play:
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■ Will Jackson seek long-term security, as Mahomes did with his 10-year, $450 million extension, or will he take the Watson approach and attempt to maximize his earning power through a series of shorter extensions?