HEADLINES

Cleveland Browns News & Rumors

Deshaun Watson Settles Three Of Remaining Four Civil Suits

August 1st, 2022 at 11:47am CST by Adam La Rose

Before today’s announcement of the suspension Deshaun Watson will be facing (pending any potential NFL appeal), there was another important development in his legal situation. The number of civil suits he faces continues to drop, and now sits at one. 

[RELATED: Watson Suspended Six Games]

The embattled Browns QB has reached settlement agreements with three of the four women who had filed outstanding claims against him, per ESPN’s Jake Trotter. At one point, Watson faced 24 suits relating to his alleged sexual misconduct dating back to his time with the Texans, but in June, 20 of those cases were settled.

“After lengthy and intense negotiations, I can confirm that, late last night, our team resolved three of the four remaining civil cases with Deshaun Watson,” plaintiffs attorney Tony Buzbee said in a statement (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio). “We will continue to discuss the remaining case with Watson’s legal team, as appropriate.” As was the case with the original 20 settlements, details of the agreements will remain confidential.

Of note is the fact that Ashley Solis – the first woman to file suit against Watson and go public with her accusations – is among the three women to reach settlement agreements, as reported (on Twitter) by Trotter’s colleague John Barr. The identity of the lone remaining accuser is unknown at this time, leaving it unclear whether or not she is the one who also sued the Texans for their alleged role in enabling Watson’s behavior.

That case, along with 29 potential others, was settled in July. As a result, the Texans are thought to be clear of any wrongdoing in association with Watson’s league (or, potentially, judicial) punishment. If the one outstanding case makes it to civil court without being settled, the trial process will not take place until after the 2022 season, per the terms of an agreement between Watson’s legal team and that of the plaintiffs.

Deshaun Watson Suspended Six Games

August 1st, 2022 at 8:02am CST by Adam La Rose

The outcome of the Deshaun Watson hearing has indeed been finalized. The Browns QB has been suspended for the first six games of the season for violating the league’s Personal Conduct Policy (Twitter link via NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport).

The rendering from retired judge Sue. L. Robinson does not include any fines in addition to the salary Watson will  forfeit, reports Rapoport’s colleague Tom Pelissero (Twitter link). In a follow-up, he adds that the ruling requires Watson receive all future massages from club therapists – as opposed to the dozens of private ones he met with during his tenure with the Texans; his alleged sexual misconduct with dozens of those women sparked lengthy criminal and civil proceedings, along with a league investigation and June’s disciplinary hearing.

Robinson’s decision states that Watson’s “pattern of behavior was egregious,” but adds that his actions constituted “nonviolent sexual conduct,” per Pelissero (Twitter link). The particulars of the application of the policy under the new CBA have led to varied estimations on how long Watson would be banned; the Browns were recently reported to be anticipating an eight-game suspension, so today’s news falls much closer in line with that prediction than the NFL’s stated preference of an indefinite one lasting at least one season.

The NFL has three days to appeal this ruling, which would turn the matter to commissioner Roger Goodell or his appointee. Rapoport tweets that it is unclear whether or not the league will do so, but he confirms yesterday’s news that the NFLPA will not contest the terms of Watson’s suspension. That came as something a revelation, given previous reports that he and the union were prepared to sue the league in the event of a lengthier suspension.

After acquiring the 26-year-old from Houston, the Browns signed Watson to an extension which lowered his 2022 base salary to $1MM. As a result, this suspension will cost him $345K, compared to well over $11MM had his previous contract still been in play (Twitter link via Rapoport). The six-game absence will leave him sidelined for four contests against AFC opponents, and one of the team’s six divisional matchups.

Cleveland was thought to be in the market for added depth at the QB position if Watson were to be handed a lengthier suspension. Assuming his ban remains six weeks in length, though, they will in all likelihood hand the reins to Jacoby Brissett to begin the campaign, leaning on Joshua Dobbs or recent signing Josh Rosen in the event of injury.

For the immediate future at least, the league’s top offseason story has reached a vital checkpoint. More could still be coming soon, in the event of an appeal, but the Browns now have more clarity on when their franchise signal-caller will first be available to them.

NFLPA Pledges Not To Appeal Watson Decision, Pleads For NFL To Join

July 31st, 2022 at 8:59pm CST by Ely Allen

Contrary to what many assumed would occur after disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson delivers her decision, it appears the NFL Players Association will not appeal Robinson’s ruling and it is calling “on the NFL to do the same.” The NFLPA released its joint statement with Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson on Twitter today, leaving no question as to their message. 

In the statement, they emphasize their cooperation and participation in the personal conduct policy investigation. They also underline the credentials of the ruling officer, Robinson, and announce their support for the validity and comprehensiveness of the hearing. They end the statement by asserting that they will choose not to question the legitimacy of their process by appealing Robinson’s ruling, and they ask the League to do the same.

This is an interesting decision by the NFLPA that seems to point out a glaring hole in the league’s appeal process. Many initially saw this as a reason to believe that the Players Association had some early indication of a favorable ruling and wanted to make sure the League won’t fight it by pressuring a statement of its own. But, upon further review of the appeal process, it makes perfect sense that the NFLPA wouldn’t want to appeal the ruling.

In the case of an appeal by either side, the decision leaves the hands of Robinson and falls into the lap of NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. Goodell is the assigned party to make the determination over any appeals. This makes the words of the NFLPA’s statement a lot more meaningful when they said:

“Every player, owner, business partner and stakeholder deserves to know that our process is legitimate and will not be tarnished based on the whims of the League office.”

Essentially, the Players Association has every reason in the world to avoid a precedent being set wherein the ruling of the independent hearing officer is easily overruled by the League and its commissioner. It would be most beneficial for the NFLPA to ensure that Goodell has no involvement in the final decision. The only way to do that is to honor the ruling made by Robinson.

Watson and the NFL continued their engagement in settlement talks in the days leading up to this ruling, but apparently the two sides were never able to get close, according to Dan Graziano of ESPN. Watson’s side was willing to accept a ban of six to eight games. The League’s initial punishment was “an indefinite suspension with (the) right to apply for reinstatement after a certain number of games.” At the end of settlement negotiations, the League’s final offer was a 12-game ban with heavy fines, nearing the range of $8MM, with the fines taking the place of the indefinite ban.

Since no settlement was reached, the ruling will hold precedence, unless either side appeals. The only way neither side can appeal is if Robinson rules that Watson did not violate the league’s personal conduct policy. It appears the NFLPA is, at least, under the impression that Robinson won’t reach that conclusion, and they’d rather an appeal doesn’t allow Goodell to side with the League.

It wouldn’t be a surprise if this wrinkle in the league’s disciplinary process becomes a focal point in the next CBA negotiations when the current active agreement expires at the end of the 2030 season. Until then, it appears the Players Association will have to hope they can set a precedent wherein the two parties choose to respect the decision of the independent arbiter, keeping the final say out of the hands of the League’s commissioner.

Latest On Deshaun Watson Decision

July 31st, 2022 at 6:26pm CST by Ely Allen

A little over a month after the Deshaun Watson hearing wrapped, a decision from disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson is finally expected. Robinson’s ruling is set to be delivered “by roughly 9 a.m. Eastern” tomorrow (Monday) morning, according to Aaron Wilson of Pro Football Network. 

It was announced when the hearing concluded after its third day that the decision would likely be delayed as Robinson called for post-hearing briefs, which were set to be due by July 11. When these summaries were finally submitted, Robinson planned to deliberate for at least a week with some from USA Today predicting that a decision may still be weeks away from then.

Predictions for the length of Watson’s ban have been rampant for awhile now, ranging anywhere from as little as six weeks to as long as a full season. The most recent reports have disclosed that Cleveland is “privately bracing for an eight-game suspension.” While it’s nearly certain Watson will be missing some time, it’s still unclear just how much.

The longer the Browns have been clueless to how long they’ll be without their new starting quarterback the longer the Browns have had to wait to address the situation. For now, they feel confident in letting newly signed backup Jacoby Brissett fill in during a short Watson-absence, but they reportedly would plan to sign another quarterback to back up Brissett if Watson receives a lengthy suspension. After months of waiting, the Browns should finally be able to act on a plan moving forward tomorrow.

Following Robinson’s ruling, the appeal process is likely to begin. Unless Robinson rules Watson did not violate the NFL’s personal conduct policy, both sides can appeal. The final result will almost certainly not be known until the Browns begin camp, and it could come well into the team’s preseason workouts.

Browns Unlikely To Re-Sign C J.C. Tretter

July 31st, 2022 at 12:51pm CST by Rory Parks

The Browns released center J.C. Tretter in March, and he has lingered on the free agent market ever since, with no concrete reports of interest in his services. However, even if Cleveland was able to re-sign its five-year starter to a team-friendly pact, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com does not envision such a reunion.

Per Cabot, the Browns would only consider re-signing Tretter if presumptive starter Nick Harris suffers a serious injury. Harris has started only two games in his two-year professional career, but the team is high on his ability and expects the transition from Tretter to Harris to be a smooth one. Indeed, while Tretter’s release saved Cleveland $8.2MM against the cap, the Browns — who currently boast a whopping $48MM+ of cap space — would not have made that move if they were not completely comfortable with Harris at the pivot.

Cabot speculates that teams that might otherwise be interested in Tretter, the NFLPA president, may have soured on him because of the hardline stance he has taken in negotiations with the league over the offseason program (among other things). Still, it is somewhat surprising that a player who has missed only one game since 2017 — a COVID-related absence in 2021 — and who has consistently rated as a high-end starter in the eyes of Pro Football Focus’ advanced metrics has not gotten any bites.

One wonders if Tretter, who is 31 and who has dealt with ankle and knee ailments over the past three seasons, is simply waiting for the right opportunity, or if he is contemplating walking away from the game. His $44MM+ of career earnings would certainly allow him to do that, although Cabot does believe he will eventually sign somewhere.

Echoing her earlier reports on the matter, Cabot says that the Browns are unlikely to add a veteran wideout unless David Bell‘s foot injury lingers. Bell, a third-round rookie, had an impressive spring and is currently penciled in alongside Amari Cooper and Donovan Peoples-Jones at the top of Cleveland’s WR depth chart. But he was recently put on the PUP list and is not expected back for another couple of weeks. If players like 2021 third-rounder Anthony Schwartz or sixth-round rookie Michael Woods II should fail to impress while Bell is sidelined, the Browns could look to the FA and/or trade markets.

One member of the team’s receiver mix, rookie Isaiah Weston, was carted off the practice field yesterday, as Tony Grossi of 850 ESPN Cleveland tweets. As a UDFA, Weston was a longshot to make the team anyway, and even if his injury is serious, it’s unlikely to alter the Browns’ decision-making too much.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/29/22

July 29th, 2022 at 5:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

Here are Friday’s minor moves:

Carolina Panthers

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Dallas Cowboys

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Jacksonville Jaguars

Los Angeles Rams

New England Patriots

New York Jets

San Francisco 49ers

  • Signed: DL Tomasi Laulile

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tennessee Titans

Signed as a UDFA shortly after the draft, Mevis fared rather poorly in a Thursday workout. The rookie kicker missed badly on three warmup kicks, one of which drilling ex-Cowboys HC Dave Campo (of Hard Knocks 2002 fame), per ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco. Mevis had struggled during the start of Jaguars camp. This is Fry’s seventh NFL team since he entered the league in 2019. The workout-circuit regular has played in three regular-season games — one-offs with the Falcons, Bengals and Chiefs. The Jags also have kicker Ryan Santoso on their roster.

A hamstring injury, sustained during a workout shortly after a flight to Green Bay, sidelined Watkins for the start of Packers camp. The veteran will try to shake a well-earned injury-prone label in Green Bay, though the former top-five pick’s roster spot may not be 100% secure. Andrews, who returned in 2020 after missing all of the 2019 season due to blood clots, underwent offseason shoulder surgery. He is back for a seventh season as the Patriots’ starting center.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/26/22

July 26th, 2022 at 7:56pm CST by Ben Levine

Today’s minor NFL transactions, including a handful of notable names landing on the physically unable to perform list and the non-football injury list as teams open up camp:

Arizona Cardinals

Chicago Bears

Cleveland Browns

Denver Broncos

Green Bay Packers

Indianapolis Colts

Kansas City Chiefs

Las Vegas Raiders

Los Angeles Chargers

Miami Dolphins

  • Released with NFI designation: WR Cody Core

Minnesota Vikings

New England Patriots

New Orleans Saints

New York Giants

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Pittsburgh Steelers

San Francisco 49ers

Seattle Seahawks

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Washington Commanders

Browns To Consider Extension For LB Sione Takitaki?

July 24th, 2022 at 1:54pm CST by Rory Parks

Browns linebacker Sione Takitaki is entering the final year of his rookie contract, and Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com writes the Browns could consider a new deal. Takitaki’s place in Cleveland beyond 2022 is not known just yet, but the former third-round pick has been a regular on the past two Browns defenses. 

Cleveland’s most frequent alignment is a 4-2-5 look, with Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah and Anthony Walker entrenched as the primary linebackers in the middle of the unit. But when the team deploys a strong-side ‘backer, it calls upon Takitaki, a hard-hitting run-stopper whose 67.5 grade from Pro Football Focus in 2021 would have been a top-20 mark if he had enough snaps to qualify.

Indeed, the BYU product appeared in just 28% of the Browns’ defensive snaps least season after posting a 43% number the year before. Much of that decrease was due to the arrivals of Owusu-Koramoah and Walker, who established themselves as high-level performers and relegated Takitaki to more of a marginal role.

Still, the advanced metrics were similarly fond of Takitaki in 2020, when he posted a career-best PFF grade of 71.2. Even if he is slated for rotational duties moving forward, the 27-year-old has been productive when given the opportunity to stay on the field, and should be relatively affordable on a short- or medium-term extension.

As many have pointed out amidst Cleveland’s Deshaun Watson-induced QB uncertainty, the Browns are currently in a league of their own in terms of 2022 cap space. Much of that will likely be used to roll over into next year, which will see a substantial spike in cap figures for the likes of Watson, Myles Garrett, Amari Cooper, and Denzel Ward. An extension would therefore have to be relatively modest for Takitaki, though there is little reason to believe anything other than that would be the Browns’ goal.

As Cleveland looks to retain as many members of what it feels is a Super Bowl-caliber roster, keeping Takitaki in the fold would likely be a worthwhile investment. How aggressively they pursue an extension, however, remains to be seen. Of course, as Cabot notes, the team could simply wait to consider a new contract until next offseason.

Adam La Rose contributed to this post.

Minor NFL Transactions: 7/22/22

July 22nd, 2022 at 7:35pm CST by Ely Allen

Today’s minor transactions:

Cleveland Browns

Green Bay Packers

Miami Dolphins

New England Patriots

New York Giants

Browns Sign Round 4 DT Perrion Winfrey, Finalize Draft Class

July 22nd, 2022 at 12:52pm CST by Adam La Rose

The final member of the Browns’ 2022 draft class is officially on the books. Cleveland signed defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey to his rookie contract, per a team announcement. 

Winfrey had a brief but productive career at Oklahoma. He flashed his ability as a disruptor in the run game with 5.5 tackles for loss in 2020. He then took a step forward with 23 stops, along with 11 TFLs, in 2021. With 5.5 sacks, he also showcased his ability as a pass-rusher, an element which has become increasingly valuable in recent years.

With a jump in PFF grades from 59.7 to 71.3, many have projected significant growth in the next few years for the six-foot-four, 292-pounder. As a result, some felt that Winfrey would have to wait no longer than Day 2 of the draft to hear his name called. Instead, he could end up representing a value find in the fourth round for the Browns, who continue to add youth to the interior of their defensive front.

Winfrey will join the likes of recent mid-round draftees Jordan Elliott and Tommy Togiai as intriguing prospects in the middle of Cleveland’s d-line. His relative weakness defending the run will, in all likelihood, limit his playing time early on in his career, but he could make an impact on passing downs relatively quickly.

With Winfrey under contract for four years, here is the final breakdown of the Browns’ class:

Round 3: No. 68 (from Texans) Martin Emerson, CB (Mississippi State) (signed)
Round 3: No. 78 Alex Wright, DE (UAB) (signed)
Round 3: No. 99 David Bell, WR (Purdue) (signed)
Round 4: No. 108 (from Texans) Perrion Winfrey, DT (Oklahoma) (signed)
Round 4: No. 124 (from Eagles through Texans) Cade York, K (LSU) (signed)
Round 5: No. 156 (from Vikings through Ravens) Jerome Ford, RB (Cincinnati) (signed)
Round 6: No. 202 (from Cowboys) Mike Woods, WR (Oklahoma) (signed)
Round 7: No. 223 (from Lions) Isaiah Thomas, DE (Oklahoma) (signed)
Round 7: No. 246 (from Bills) Dawson Deaton, C (Texas Tech) (signed)

Load More Posts