The Browns have spent plenty of time chasing Lamar Jackson, and the numbers explain why he still looms so large in Cleveland. Jackson owns a 10-5 record against the Browns, and in those 15 games he has thrown for 2,737 yards with 22 touchdowns and 10 interceptions while adding 770 rushing yards, six rushing touchdowns, and a 96.6 passer rating.
That kind of production is exactly why Browns fans are watching the latest Baltimore contract mess so closely. If the Ravens’ tension with Jackson ever gets to the point of a trade request, Cleveland and the rest of the AFC North would be paying attention. That once would have sounded far-fetched, but it does not anymore.
Jackson handles his own negotiations, and he is not likely to take a discount after the way Baltimore handled his deal in 2022. The situation was made even more complicated by the Browns’ own role in the league-wide fallout, after Deshaun Watson’s fully guaranteed contract helped trigger an investigation into collusion to block Jackson and others from landing similar deals.
This time, though, the leverage appears to be with Jackson. NFL insider Jason La Canfora pointed to the Ravens’ decision to restructure Jackson’s contract earlier this offseason, which left a huge $85 million cap hit for the 2027 season. Jackson also has both no-trade and no-franchise tag clauses, which only strengthens his hand.
"Jackson has more leverage than ever before - entering a lame-duck year with an $85M cap hit next year and a no-trade clause and a no-franchise tag clause," La Canfora wrote. "Once Jackson cuts off talks - if he already hasn’t - he will decide if he wants to take Steve Bisciotti’s money or someone else’s. Because that cap number is untenable and a new deal is required to secure any cap relief, and all roads go through Jackson - who has asked for a trade before, and plenty of GMs and contract negotiators believe he will do it again."
Baltimore is now staring at an ugly choice. The Ravens can give Jackson the kind of deal he wants, including guarantees and payout timelines, or they can hope he pushes for a trade. If neither happens, they may be forced to break up a roster built to contend or keep moving money into future seasons just to make the numbers work.
There is also the bigger football question hanging over all of this. The Ravens have not found playoff success with Jackson at quarterback, and a clean break could be tempting if they decide to start over. But that would come with major consequences, including the possibility of a fire sale and the end of their championship window.
Jackson has still been the division’s standard-bearer since becoming Baltimore’s starter, leading the Ravens to four AFC North titles. For the Browns and the rest of the division, that has meant years of chasing. For once, though, the financial pressure is on Baltimore, and Cleveland is watching from a distance as the Ravens work through a problem of their own making.
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Mason Graham Sees One Browns Change Fueling His Breakout Push
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Training camp has only sharpened that expectation, with reports suggesting Graham has come back faster and more intent on turning more of his interior disruption into real impact plays. For a Browns defense that needs the line to do more than hold its ground, his next step matters. The question is whether the change around him opens the door for that breakout push to turn into something measurable once the games start counting. [Read more 🡒]
Deshaun Watsons Camp Struggles Are Fueling A Browns QB Debate
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Quarterbacks coach Mike Bajakian has acknowledged the turnover problem and pointed to a mix of factors behind it, while head coach Todd Monken has also made clear the issues need to be cleaned up. For a team trying to sort out its passing game, the challenge is no longer just about reps or rhythm, but about whether Watson can settle the operation enough to quiet a debate that is getting louder by the day. [Read more 🡒]