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How Deshaun Watson’s $230M Contract With Cleveland Browns Changed the NFL’s QB Game Forever and How It’s Strongly Affecting Other Contracts?

Published 09/11/2022, 1:30 PM EDT

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The 2022 offseason had big things for the NFL athletes and the fans. As the wide receivers market hit an all-time high, the quarterback’s division set a standard this year. The extensions signed throughout the summer had an enormous value of money on their deals. But the Browns’ deal for Deshaun Watson has altered the contractual landscape forever.s

The trade of Deshaun Watson to the Browns can be the most eventful transaction in NFL history. It established a new standard for young quarterbacks to set their ambitions for large sums of cash. It’s a safe assumption that the Browns pulled out the golden rabbit from the sack. However, it would have a significant impact on the franchises in the future years.

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Did the Deshaun Watson deal begin a new era?

To dive into the contract details, Deshaun Watson has a fully guaranteed contract for $230 million. According to sources, Watson’s contract features the highest guaranteed salary of any deal. Moreover, it surpasses Josh Allen‘s previous high of $150 million by $80 million. Watson will get an average income of $46 million, making him one of the highest-paid stars in the NFL behind Aaron Rodgers.

With such a humongous contract in place, it increases the demands for the QBs who are next in line for an extension. Athletes like Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert, and Lamar Jackson now have the advantage to get him a Watson-type deal. But one has to present some justified statistics to back up their case.

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“Russell Wilson & Kyler Murray Have Received 0 MVP…”: $245 Million Contract Bloodies the Water for Lamar Jackson’s Payday Hopes

Deshaun Watson may not be a game changer. However, he is among the most productive quarterbacks in the NFL. The Browns may perceive it as a revolution and the next-generation QBs will revel it. But many would scrutinize this move for decades to come.

Will Lamar Jackson have the biggest advantage from Watson’s deal?

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Any reader would recall that Ravens’ Lamar Jackson is due for a long-term extension. However, both parties failed to settle into a compromise. The Ravens QB has something every franchise would want. He has fantastic statistics and is a unanimous MVP. In fact, during Jackson’s negotiations with the franchise, he tried to advocate for his contract to be at the Watson level.

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However, as per Adam Schefter, the Ravens turned down Lamar Jackson’s request for a fully guaranteed contract. The contract’s fully ensured bonus was higher than Wilson and Murray’s deal. However, it is substantially less than Watson’s $230 million. The refusal led to both parties holding the process until the season concluded. Indeed, Jackson is taking a risk. But f it plays out well, he could set a new benchmark with a new deal. Will he show up and win? It is subject to witness.

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Written by:

Pavitra Shome

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Pavitra Shome is an NFL author at EssentiallySports. He began writing while working for an online news portal and holds a Master's Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. Although Pavitra enjoys watching WWE, Gronk and Brady turned him into an NFL aficionado.
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Edited by:

Deepika Bhaduri