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Latest On Lawsuits Against Browns QB Deshaun Watson

May 15th, 2022 at 8:30am CST by Rory Parks

Two of the 22 women who have filed suit against Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson have amended their claims to include counts of negligence and gross negligence, as Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today reported last month. In addition to creating more grounds for financial recovery, those claims allow the plaintiffs to propound more discovery, and the gross negligence claim carries with it the possibility of punitive damages.

As Schrotenboer noted in a separate piece, almost all of the lawsuits already included counts of civil assault and infliction of emotional distress, and other suits could be amended to include the negligence-based claims as well. Essentially, those claims allege that Watson “knew of his sexual proclivities in massage settings” but did not take steps to prevent those proclivities from manifesting or to warn the plaintiffs of them.

David Ring, a Los Angeles-based attorney who has represented sexual assault victims and whom Schrotenboer consulted for his article, acknowledges that the new claims represent something of a reach (“how does a person negligently have a massage?” Ring wondered). Nonetheless, they have already helped the plaintiffs achieve an important discovery-related victory. The parties were battling over whether Watson should be compelled to list all women that gave him massages since 2019, and the court ruled that he must do just that, as such a list could be relevant to proving Watson’s alleged proclivities.

Shortly after the suits were filed against Watson, the quarterback’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, publicly released a list of 18 other therapists who had sessions with Watson but who had no issues with him. The plaintiffs, though, want to know more about those sessions, along with sessions Watson might have scheduled with women aside from the 18 therapists and 22 plaintiffs. If Watson had sexual relations with them, that could bolster the argument that he routinely scheduled massage sessions with sexual intentions, and it will make the plaintiffs’ claims more believable.

So even if the legal theory behind the amended suits is shaky, the plaintiffs might still be backing Watson into a corner, as Ring and South Texas College of Law Houston professor Kenneth Williams believe. Although plenty of harm has already been done to Watson’s reputation, he was still able to land a historic contract from Cleveland and can begin taking steps towards redemption if he settles these cases quickly and avoids further revelations of (at best) embarrassing and (at worst) predatory behavior.

Per Adam Ferrise of Cleveland.com, the trial of this matter is unlikely to take place before August 1, and the parties have agreed that no trial will be scheduled between August 1 and March 1, 2023, so as to avoid conflict with the football season. As such, if the cases ultimately proceed to trial, there will be no resolution until sometime next year.

Browns Announce 12 UDFA Signings

May 13th, 2022 at 10:16pm CST by Ely Allen

This morning, the Browns officially announced the addition of 12 undrafted free agents to their rookie class:

Harley leaves the Hurricanes as the school’s all-time leader in career receptions (182, surpassing former Colts receiver Reggie Wayne) and single-game receptions (13). He’ll be joined in Cleveland by the Cougars’ receptions and receiving-touchdowns leader from last season, Travell Harris.

Logan spent six years in Baton Rouge, playing a key role in the Tigers’ run to their 2019 National Championship victory over Clemson, contributing a half-sack in the title game.

Jolly provides some electric ability at corner. He’s an aggressive cornerback who returned two picks for touchdowns in 2019. Jolly adds 25 passes defensed and 2 forced fumbles over his 45-game college career.

Minor NFL Transactions: 5/13/22

May 13th, 2022 at 7:50pm CST by Adam La Rose

Today’s minor moves around the league:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Chicago Bears 

Cincinnati Bengals

  • Signed: CB Abu Daramy-Swaray

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Jacksonville Jaguars

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks 

Washington Commanders

NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/12/22

May 12th, 2022 at 6:18pm CST by Sam Robinson

Thursday has featured several rookie deals finalized. Here are the mid- and late-round draftees to sign their four-year contracts today:

Arizona Cardinals

Atlanta Falcons

Buffalo Bills

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Denver Broncos

  • WR Montrell Washington (fifth round, Samford)

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

Jacksonville Jaguars

  • RB Snoop Conner (fifth round, Ole Miss)
  • CB Gregory Junior (sixth round, Ouachita Baptist)
  • CB Montaric Brown (seventh round, Arkansas)

Las Vegas Raiders

Miami Dolphins

Minnesota Vikings

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Poll: Who Will Acquire Baker Mayfield?

May 10th, 2022 at 6:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nearly two months have passed since Baker Mayfield made his trade request. The Browns engaged in trade talks with the Panthers during the draft, but the sides did not come particularly close to a deal. As the team begins its Deshaun Watson era, its previous starter waits to learn his next NFL destination.

The Browns wanted to wanted to trade their four-year starter quickly, but the quarterback market soon featured few potential takers. It became clear a low-level return was to be expected, and to even recoup that, the Browns will have to eat a chunk of Mayfield’s $18.9MM fifth-year option salary. This has caused Cleveland to hold tight, and The Athletic’s Zac Jackson notes the Browns are prepared to ride this out to potentially wait to see if an injury forces a team to reconsider Mayfield in an emergency circumstance (subscription required). The Browns will excuse Mayfield from their June minicamp, if necessary, allowing the QB to satisfy his attendance requirements toward his 2022 salary.

Cutting Mayfield now would benefit him. He is locked into that $18.9MM salary, which would become Browns dead money, and have his pick of teams — perhaps as a chance to prove himself ahead of an intriguing 2023 free agency bid — from which to choose. The longer this impasse goes, the more Mayfield will be limited regarding assimilation with his next team. If the Browns are truly intent on waiting for a training camp injury to change the equation — a la Teddy Bridgewater in 2016 or Ryan Tannehill in 2017 — that will not go over well with Mayfield’s camp.

The Panthers have a fifth-year option salary on their quarterback depth chart, in Sam Darnold, but Mayfield has outperformed his draft classmate. Carolina would probably pounce if Mayfield hit free agency, but the team wanted Cleveland to pick up most of Mayfield’s salary to facilitate a trade. The Panthers then traded up for Matt Corral in Round 3. Mayfield, who led the Browns to their first playoff win since 1994, would undoubtedly give the 2022 Panthers a better chance to win compared to Darnold or Corral — Robby Anderson‘s thoughts on the matter notwithstanding — and USA Today’s Josina Anderson tweets the Panthers have not closed the book here. Carolina also holds the league’s most cap space, at $29MM-plus.

Mentioned as a Mayfield suitor earlier this offseason, the Seahawks are holding a Drew Lock–Geno Smith competition. Seattle, which also resisted selecting a QB in the draft, is not planning to trade for a passer. This is also a team that would certainly take a hard look at Mayfield in free agency, but if Pete Carroll‘s persistent Lock praise is to be believed, the Seahawks’ post-Russell Wilson plan is to let two 2021 backups vie for the job.

The Texans loom as Mayfield monitors. They did not draft a quarterback and have 2021 third-rounder Davis Mills positioned to start. While Watson’s ex-employer was not interested in taking Mayfield as part of that trade, the prospect of the Browns eating much of his 2022 salary changed the equation. Mayfield’s arrival would throw a wrench into Mills’ development, and Houston does not appear prepared to compete for a playoff spot in a stacked AFC. But the disgruntled vet, once healthy, would represent an upgrade opportunity. Of course, so would fellow trade-block resident Jimmy Garoppolo, who has close ties to GM Nick Caserio from their New England days.

The rebuilding Falcons used a third-round pick on Desmond Ridder but have only Marcus Mariota as a placeholder. If Daniel Jones fails to impress the new Giants regime this offseason, would they look into Mayfield? Barring injuries, are there other teams that would make sense? Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts in the comments section.

Door Shut On Jarvis Landry Browns Return?

May 9th, 2022 at 5:55pm CST by Sam Robinson

Jarvis Landry may need to find a third NFL employer soon. After a report indicated the former Pro Bowler’s path back to Cleveland is narrowing, it now may be shut off.

The door appears to be closed on a Landry return to the Browns, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes, adding that the team does not have any other veteran wideouts on its radar presently. This will leave Amari Cooper as the sole veteran presence among Cleveland’s receivers, but Cabot adds the Browns are confident Deshaun Watson‘s arrival will elevate the likes of young holdovers Donovan Peoples-Jones and Anthony Schwartz.

Cleveland cut Landry in March, after failing to find a trade partner, but has been linked to both re-signing him or pursuing another veteran. Landry visited the Falcons and was believed to be discussing an Atlanta partnership with Watson — before the Browns’ monster offer led the quarterback to Ohio. The Louisiana native later visited the Saints, though that was before their Chris Olave trade-up. It would seem Landry would still make sense on a Browns team that made a veteran quarterback upgrade, but the plan for now appears to be rolling with a young Cooper supporting cast.

Peoples-Jones did nearly hit 600 receiving yards last season, despite the Browns’ passing attack cratering as Baker Mayfield attempted to play through a significant injury. That total topped Landry’s (570 yards, two touchdowns), though the four-year Browns contributor missed five games. Landry eclipsed 1,100 yards in 2019 and was the team’s No. 1 wideout during its 2020 playoff run. A September MCL injury plagued Landry throughout last season.

The Browns drafted Purdue’s David Bell in Round 3, putting perhaps the final piece of their receiver puzzle in place. They would have taken Alabama’s John Metchie in the second round, per Cabot, had they not reached an agreement to trade back with the Texans. Houston added Metchie after moving up to No. 44 overall.

AFC Rumors: Jaguars, Williams, Van Roten, Leonard, Browns, Griffin III

May 8th, 2022 at 5:29pm CST by Ely Allen

After the Jaguars fired former head coach Urban Meyer, it became public that Jacksonville had no intentions of paying Meyer the remaining money on his contract, as he was being fired for cause. There was speculation at the time that the parties may follow existing precedents and negotiate a settlement in order to avoid a legal situation.

According to Jarrett Bell of USA Today, an anonymous source with knowledge of the situation informed the columnist that, to date, the two sides have been unable to strike a settlement agreement.

Here are a few other rumors from around the AFC, starting with a rumor out of South Beach:

  • The Dolphins should have plenty of options for their offensive line configuration, but it most likely hinges on what they do with interior offensive lineman Connor Williams. According to Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald, Miami isn’t quite sure what to do with Williams, working him at center and left guard over the past three weeks. The good news, is that it gives them plenty of options. With Terron Armstead solidified at left tackle and Robert Hunt solidly at right guard, Williams could fit at either position. If you put Williams at left guard, the team would likely have Michael Deiter start at center and leave Liam Eichenberg and Austin Jackson to compete for the starting right tackle job. If you start Williams at center, Eichenberg can slide in to the left guard job and Jackson can man the right tackle position.
  • The Jets recently released guard Greg Van Roten. According to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY, head coach Robert Saleh claimed that they released Van Roten because they believe he has the potential to start for other teams in the league. His release is meant to allow him to find those teams that would provide him a starting opportunity. Saleh was quoted saying they’d “love to have him back,” if he fails to find such opportunities.
  • Colts linebacker Darius Leonard had ankle surgery in June last year before the season. The surgery helped him to get healthy for the season, where he played every game but one and was named a first-team All-Pro for the third time in his career. While the ankle is still ailing him, Joel A. Erickson of the Indy Star reported that Leonard says the ankle is better now than it was at this point last year. This is an encouraging sign for Leonard and a scary message for the other teams in the AFC South. Leonard has been named to an All-Pro team every year of his career while being nagged by his ankle ailment. A healthy Leonard is a dangerous weapon for opposing teams to have to game-plan against.
  • With the return of free agent wide receiver Jarvis Landry seeming less and less likely, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com believes the Browns will be able to push a bit harder now for free agent pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney to return. Cabot points out that drafting UAB pass rusher Alex Wright makes the need to sign Clowney a little less urgent, but also mentions that fellow pass rusher Myles Garrett wants Clowney back, which could help his case. Cabot claims that, if the two parties can’t agree to a new deal, Cleveland will consider former Bills defensive end Jerry Hughes instead.
  • We’ve all seen Rich Eisen of NFL Network run the 40-yard dash for charity. Well, this year, former NFL quarterback Robert Griffin III, currently an analyst for ESPN, participated and reportedly was clocked at 4.48 seconds. Mike Florio of NBC Sports reports that on Eisen’s show, Griffin made the claim that some teams took notice of his impressive run and reached out to him. This doesn’t necessarily mean that any teams have offered to bring him back to the NFL, but Griffin has publicly stated his desire to return to football in the past, even claiming that his contract with ESPN would allow him to sign with an NFL team if the opportunity presents itself. Griffin last spent time in the league as Lamar Jackson‘s back up on the Ravens. He filled in multiple times leading many to wonder if he still had the ability to lead an NFL offense based on his brief appearances.

Eagles To Hire Charles Walls As Director Of Player Personnel

May 8th, 2022 at 12:51pm CST by Adam La Rose

After a slew of departures in their front office, the Eagles have reportedly made an executive hire. Philadelphia is adding Charles Walls as their new director of player personnel (Twitter link via ESPN’s Kimberley Martin).

Walls began his NFL tenure with the Packers. Originally joining the team in 2013, he ultimately became a regional scout for them in 2017. His time in that role lasted three seasons, leading him to a promotion from the Browns in 2020.

Walls served as a national scout in Cleveland for the past two years, and his work during that span has again earned him a promotion from an outside team. In Philadelphia, he will replace Brandon Brown, whose role was vacated when he was hired by the Giants as their new assistant general manager. The same is true of Ian Cunningham, who is now in Chicago.

Those two are among numerous losses suffered by Howie Roseman‘s staff. The list of other departures in the front office includes Casey Weidl, Shawn Heinlen, T.J. McCreight and, most recently, Tom Donahoe. This news connects the Eagles and Browns for the second time this offseason, of course; Cleveland has hired former Eagles vice president of football operations Catherine Raiche, reuniting her with Andrew Berry.

With Walls in place, Roseman will have made one of many hires needed this offseason to replace the Eagles’ front office.

Latest On Jarvis Landry

May 8th, 2022 at 9:03am CST by Adam La Rose

Jarvis Landry remains on the market as one of several free agent wideouts looking for a new deal. While a return to Cleveland has remained on the table throughout the offseason (including earlier this week), that may be getting less and less likely. 

[RELATED: Browns Remain Interested In Clowney, Landry]

According to Tyler Dragon of USA Today, the chances of Landry re-signing have “‘decreased’ since the draft” (Twitter link). The Browns selected two wideouts with their nine picks – David Bell in the third round and Mike Woods in the sixth – having already traded for Amari Cooper.

Still, the team has been connected to remaining free agent options, the most familiar of which would be Landry. The 29-year-old put up career-lows in receptions (52), yards (570) and touchdowns (two) across 12 games this season, as the Browns’ offense struggled mightily as a whole. With one year left on his deal, the Browns released him in March, saving over $14MM in cap space.

Re-joining the team at a lower rate than his previous deal has remained a possibility, though disagreements on compensation was much of the reason for the termination in the first place. Once reported to be seeking roughly $20MM per year, Landry has generated interest from multiple teams, albeit likely not at that rate. The veteran has had visits with the Falcons and Saints, though both of those used first-round picks on receivers in the draft.

Landry – like former Browns teammate Odell Beckham Jr. – will likely start to generate more interest in the final waves of free agency. Those two, along with the likes of Will Fuller and T.Y. Hilton, should start to find new homes in the near future, a process which, in Landry’s case, would seemingly lead him outside of Cleveland.

Browns Could Release QB Baker Mayfield?

May 7th, 2022 at 11:00am CST by Ben Levine

Baker Mayfield could ultimately be cut by the Browns. A league source told Josina Anderson that while their team has expressed interest in a trade for the former first-overall pick, talks ultimately cooled because the team didn’t want to meet Cleveland’s asking price (Twitter link). Further, suitors believe this could be heading toward a release, so inquiring teams aren’t interested in breaking the bank for a player they could potentially sign outright.

“No one’s trying to do the Browns any favors in this situation,” the source told Anderson.

We previously heard that the terms of Mayfield’s $18.9MM 2022 option led to the Browns-Panthers trade talks fizzling. Carolina wanted Cleveland to pick up most of that fully guaranteed salary. The Browns have remained unwilling to cut Mayfield, but the organization may not have another choice as they look to avoid an awkward situation. The Panthers, Seahawks, and Texans have been among the teams most recently connected to the QB.

Mayfield attempting to play through a torn shoulder labrum undoubtedly hurt his standing, though the Browns were reluctant to engage in extension talks before the start of the 2021 campaign. Prior to Mayfield’s injury, reports emerged indicating he was fine with playing out his fourth season absent an extension. But Mayfield’s value cratered in 2021, with the former Heisman winner’s completion percentage plummeting from an NFL-best 82% before his September shoulder injury to 58% in the games following the setback. The latter portion comprised most of the season, leading the Browns to an 8-9 record and pushing this situation to its present state.

Mayfield underwent surgery in January but contacted Amari Cooper about a potential throwing session in March. However, the Browns’ entrance into the Deshaun Watson mix — and the “adult in the room” comment — proved to be enough for Mayfield to request a trade. The 27-year-old passer requested to be dealt nearly two months ago, but the standoff persists.

 

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