Ravens Owner Blasts Browns For Deshaun Watson Contract

There’s no love lost between AFC North rivals Baltimore and Cleveland. And that feeling apparently extends beyond the field and up to the luxury suites. On Tuesday, Ravens owner Steve Bisciotti blasted divisional foe Cleveland for handing Deshaun Watson a “groundbreaking” contract.

Watson, of course, received the most fully guaranteed money in NFL history – $230 million – from the Browns in a trade.

"It's like, 'Damn, I wish they hadn't guaranteed the whole contract.' I don't know that he should've been the first guy to get a fully guaranteed contract,” Bisciotti said Tuesday while speaking at the NFL’s annual league meetings.

Jeez, Steve. Don’t hold back, tell us how you really feel.

Bisciotti’s comments are likely tied to the fact that his franchise QB, Lamar Jackson, a former league MVP, is slated to play the 2022 season on an expiring contract. Baltimore would undoubtedly love to extend Jackson’s deal for the foreseeable future, but his price tag has now gone up since Cleveland decided to give Watson a vault full of money.

“To me, (Watson’s contract is) something that is groundbreaking, and it'll make negotiations harder with others,” said Bisciotti, no doubt alluding to Jackson.

The Baltimore owner must not be paying very close attention to the NFL’s current financials. League contracts, especially for quarterbacks, have reached a “next man up” level. Any starting quarterback with a pulse and some promise, who’s nearing the end of his contract, generally scores the latest and greatest deal. Unfortunately for the Ravens, Jackson’s next in line.

"But (Watson’s deal) doesn't necessarily mean that we have to play that game, you know? We shall see,” Bisciotti added.

Cleveland and Baltimore play one another twice a year, and based on all these contract talks, those games should be rich.

Follow along on Twitter: @OhioAF