Joe Burrow And The Cincinnati Bengals Are Doing Everything Possible To Avoid A Lamar Jackson Situation

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Lamar Jackson is, without questions, one of the best quarterbacks in the entire National Football League.

What he doesn’t appear to be, however, is an elite negotiator.

Which is why Jackson is still without a long-term contract from the Baltimore Ravens or any other team in the NFL.

The latest reports state that Jackson isn’t searching for a fully guaranteed contract like the Cleveland Browns gave Deshaun Watson. But he is reportedly seeking a deal that would land him more guaranteed money than Watson. Take that how you will.

Meanwhile, AFC North rival Joe Burrow and the Cincinnati Bengals will soon have to work their way through a similar scenario. Burrow, who has also proven to be one the league’s best signal callers, is in the final year of his rookie deal with a one-year team option on the table for 2024.

Before they get to that point, however, it appears the two sides are doing everything possible to avoid a situation similar to that of Jackson and the Ravens.

Bengals executive vice president Katie Blackburn told the team website that Burrow’s agent and the team have taken a “vow of silence” regarding discussions of contract talks to the public.

“I don’t know the pace but we hope that there’s something that can get done,” Blackburn said. “We sort of said we won’t talk about it much until there’s something to talk about.”

Blackburn also said the team is working to extend fellow 2020 NFL Draft products Logan Wilson and Tee Higgins.

“They’re all great guys that we love having and want to have for a while, a long time on our team,” Blackburn said. “So it’s just a process that always plays out however it plays out. We’ll be looking at all of the options and alternatives and thinking about what we might be able to get done.”

Ultimately, Jackson’s deal may set the table for what Burrow gets. But it’s clear both sides are trying to get things done as quickly and as quietly as possible.