Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson is mired in a back and forth with the NFL stemming from the six-game ban he received after allegations of sexual misconduct were thrown in his direction.
An arbitrator in the case opted to hand Watson a six-game ban, much to the chagrin of the NFL. Commissioner Roger Goodell and Co. were asking for an indefinite ban lasting at least a calendar year. It has now appealed said decision.
That’s a major backdrop as Cleveland kicks off its preseason slate Friday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It has long been expected that Watson would suit up despite the legal wrangling. That’s now been confirmed with ESPN’s Dan Graziano reporting that a decision on the NFL’s appeal is not expected on Friday and that Watson will start for Cleveland.
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Where the Deshaun Watson situation stands
The league and NFLPA opted for former U.S. District Court Judge Sue L. Robinson to oversee the initial disciplinary case against Watson.
Once she ruled a six-game ban was sufficient, the NFL opted to appeal. It then assigned former New Jersey District Attorney Peter Harvey to oversee the appeal rather than having Goodell take on the role.
Mr. Harvey has a built-in relationship with the NFL and helped the league create its current personal conduct policy. The former AG also serves on the NFL diversity advisory committee, leading to questions about whether he’ll be objective on the matter.
“We’ve seen the evidence, she was very clear about the evidence, she reinforced the evidence. There were multiple violations that were egregious and it was predatory behavior. Those are things that we always felt were important for us to address in a way that’s responsible.”
Roger Goodell statement on initial Deshaun Watson suspension
As it stands now, Watson would be eligible to make his regular-season debut with Cleveland Oct. 23 against the Baltimore Ravens. Recent reports suggest that he would be open to taking an eight-game ban if this ended the drama.
Watson last suited up in an NFL game as a member of the Houston Texans back in 2020. He was among the best quarterbacks in the league prior to sitting out the entire 2021 campaign.
- Deshaun Watson stats (2020): 70% completion, 4,823 passing yards (NFL high), 444 rushing yards, 36 total TD, 7 INT, 112.4 rating
Once grand juries in the state of Texas opted against recommending criminal charges against Watson this past spring, Cleveland gave up the farm in a trade with the Texans. It then inked him to a record-breaking five-year, $230 million contract — fully guaranteed.
The question for these Browns is rather simple. Should Harvey rule in the NFL’s favor and extend Watson’s suspension, the team might be in the market for a short-term starter.
That includes San Francisco 49ers veteran Jimmy Garoppolo, who has been linked to the Browns in recent days. If not, Jacoby Brissett would likely serve as the stopgap option.