The contract negotiations between the Baltimore Ravens and Lamar Jackson are also on the minds of the NFL players’ union. Executive Director DeMaurice Smith attacked the league in an open letter, accusing the owners of a conspiracy to prevent a spread of fully guaranteed contracts

The hang-up over Lamar Jackson’s contract extension is also causing anger among the NFL’s players’ union (NFLPA).

Executive Director DeMaurice Smith has attacked the league and team owners in an open letter, accusing them of conspiracy.

The owners would work together to prevent Jackson from getting a fully guaranteed contract along the lines of Deshaun Watson and Kirk Cousins.

The motive, they say, is to preserve the power of teams in contract negotiations with free agents because the tools of the draft and franchise tag don’t allow for much, if any, market control there.

Jackson coming season under franchise tag

In the statement, Smith writes: “Why did [Kirk] Cousins and [Deshaun] Watson get fully guaranteed contracts and others didn’t? Or to be even more specific, why did the Baltimore Ravens and other teams (at least initially) publicly insist with such vigor that they would not compensate Lamar Jackson like they did Cousins or Watson with a fully guaranteed contract?”

Jackson will play under the franchise tag next season after he and the Ravens failed to agree on new working papers.

Although the nature of the tag would allow other teams to negotiate with the quarterback and pry him loose from Baltimore for two first-round picks, nearly all clubs with a need for a playmaker denied interest in the former MVP.

Smith also provided the answer to the question of why: “The NFL wants to send the message to [Joe Burrow, Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts] that they’re not going to get fully guaranteed contracts simply because other first-ballot Hall of Famer didn’t get them either […]. “

Contracts of Burrow, Herbert and Hurts expire

The working papers of the three quarterbacks named by the 59-year-old expire in the next few years.

It is common for new contracts for top players to use the terms of the best contract at the position as the benchmark in negotiations.

The contract Watson received from the Cleveland Browns is currently considered particularly desirable.

The paper runs for five years and guarantees him the full sum of 230 million dollars.

Jackson demands Watson contract – Ravens stonewall

Reports indicate Jackson is also demanding a fully guaranteed contract, but the Ravens have so far refused to comply with his wishes.

In his comments, Smith refused to accept the argument that the 26-year-old’s vulnerability to injury speaks against such a contract.

Every NFL contract contains guarantees in the event of an injury, which is why the case speaks for a principled refusal on the part of the owners.