Mark Madden: Lamar Jackson saga makes you appreciate Kirk Cousins

The Lamar Jackson drama cascades on. The most insufferable part is the ex-jocks who carry water for Jackson.

Robert Griffin III is that pack’s leader. He’s a failed Jackson, a Dollar Tree version. He’s trying to live vicariously through Jackson’s desired payday.

At least we finally know what that is, and it’s what we figured: Jackson doesn’t want all guaranteed money. Jackson just wants as much guaranteed money as Deshaun Watson got from Cleveland, namely $230 million.

Jackson probably wants one dollar more. He’d turn down one dollar less. This is about ego and vanity.

Now it’s up to Meek Mill to make the deal, or Jackson’s mother, or that street agent the NFL ixnayed.

A lot of this would go easier if Jackson was an adult. Jackson doesn’t have an agent because an agent would suggest negotiating. This way, all Jackson has got to know is what he wants.

It’s enough to make you appreciate Kirk Cousins.

The Minnesota quarterback has a career passer rating and a career completion percentage superior to Jackson’s. Jackson has a better touchdowns/interceptions ratio, but not by much: 2.65 to 2.4.

Cousins hasn’t won a Super Bowl and won’t. But neither will Jackson. There are too many better quarterbacks in the NFL, and Jackson’s passing isn’t precise enough to defeat good teams in big games.

Jackson’s running ability is a wild card but won’t beat Patrick Mahomes in a playoff game. What it mostly does is expose Jackson to injury and could shorten his career (or certainly his peak).

Jackson has missed 10 games over the past two seasons. He sprained his PCL last year. Atlanta owner Arthur Blank mentioned Jackson’s health woes and was chided by some for doing so. But when Jackson wants $230,000,001 guaranteed, his injuries may be the most relevant part of the conversation.

Anyway, give me Cousins. Even now, with Cousins at 34 and Jackson at 26.

Cousins isn’t a giant headache. He’s missed two games over the past eight seasons. He’s been franchise-tagged twice and somehow lived through it. His last three contracts have been relatively short: Three years, two years and now one year. Cousins will make $30 million in the coming season.

Cousins keeps betting on himself. His career earnings after 2023 will be $231.7 million, which strikes me as enough to survive on.

Having Cousins as a quarterback is easy. (You like that?)

Jackson won’t employ an agent. His demands are set in stone. The whole scenario is farcical, exacerbated by too many people wrongly telling him that he’s right and emboldened by an MVP won four years ago that’s no longer relevant. (Jackson hasn’t gotten a single MVP vote since.)

Any NFL team can negotiate with Jackson. None is. What’s that say? (Indianapolis is teasing.)

Cousins just shows up and plays. Yeah, he’s 1-3 in playoff games. So is Jackson.

Watson didn’t set the market with what Cleveland paid. It was a mistake. It set what the market isn’t. Same goes for what Arizona gave Kyler Murray and what Denver gave Russell Wilson. Baltimore isn’t obliged to repeat that error. Nor is the rest of the NFL.

Jackson isn’t Mahomes or Joe Burrow. If he were, this would be a different argument.

Assuming Jackson stays with Baltimore, he might not be in the AFC’s top five quarterbacks. You’d definitely rather have Mahomes, Burrow and Josh Allen. You’d probably rather have Trevor Lawrence and Justin Herbert. Aaron Rodgers will likely yet show up in New York.

Jackson wants paid for his hype and because Watson got what he got. That isn’t a strong negotiating stance. Not even with Meek Mill representing.

Jackson will likely have to come crawling back to Baltimore and play for a measly $32.4 million under the terms of the non-exclusive franchise tag.

But here’s betting he declines participation and the money.

Because if there’s one thing all these theatrics have taught us, it’s that Jackson isn’t very bright.