Richard Sherman blamed Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen for taking team-friendly contracts and accused them of hurting quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson in his contract dispute.
The Lamar Jackson contract dispute has taken many twists and turns, from the Ravens placing the non-exclusive franchise tag on the quarterback to the latest madness involving workout equipment salesman Ken Francis and an NFL memo.
Just when you thought the saga couldn’t get more strange, Richard Sherman and Calvin Johnson dragged Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen into it.
On The Richard Sherman podcast, Sherman brought up the three-year, $84 million fully-guaranteed contract that Kirk Cousins got in 2018.
“What pissed me off is when Kirk Cousins got his guaranteed deal, I thought quarterbacks from then on were gonna be like, ‘If it ain’t guaranteed, I ain’t taking it. Then [Patrick] Mahomes took that BS deal, just 10 years and want it to look like half a [billion],” Sherman said. “But if you get half of that, fully guaranteed, everybody’s happier. That sets precedent. But when he didn’t set it, then Josh Allen didn’t set it, now Lamar [Jackson]’s trying to set it after Deshaun [Watson]’s already set it. And they’re like, ‘Nah.”
Blaming Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen for Lamar Jackson mess is weak
Here’s the thing: The Vikings clearly regret their deal with Cousins. And the Browns have already had to restructure their deal with Watson to get under the salary cap.
Meanwhile, the Chiefs have made it to two Super Bowls, winning one, since they signed Mahomes to his team-friendly deal. The QB may be underpaid in terms of the max contract he could have commanded but he’s winning now and he’s set up to win more in part because his team can work around his deal.
The Bills should be in similar position with Allen’s contract, though they’re obviously still trying to break through for an AFC Championship or Super Bowl.
It wasn’t Mahomes’ responsibility to give Jackson an assist by insisting on a fully guaranteed deal. He went for the long-term deal because that’s what he wanted. Blaming him for doing what was best for him just doesn’t work. The same goes for Allen.
Jackson is well within his right to push for a fully guaranteed deal. It’s not Mahomes or Allen’s fault he’s not have success in getting it.