Browns Rumors

2:26pm: Rumored as possible to happen Friday, in an effort to keep Watson off the field for the Browns’ preseason opener, Harvey’s appeal ruling may not come until at least next week. As of this afternoon, nothing looks to be brewing on that front, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com tweets. Harvey’s decision almost definitely will not happen Friday, Dan Graziano of ESPN.com adds (on Twitter). Despite being set to miss at least the Browns’ first six games, Watson is expected to start for his new team against the Jaguars tonight.

1:35pm: Although they have sporadically taken place for more than two months and produced no resolution, Watson settlement talks still are not off the table. The league and the union coming to an agreement should not be ruled out, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk tweets.

11:50am: With the Browns set to begin their preseason tonight, a decision from league designee Peter Harvey could be coming very shortly regarding the NFL’s appeal of the Deshaun Watson suspension. In the hopes of avoiding the league’s desired outcome, the Browns QB is reportedly willing to accept a stricter punishment than the one he was initially given. 

Watson would be willing to accept an eight-game suspension and a $5MM fine, per Rob Maaddi and Tom Withers of the Associated Press. As things currently stand, the three-time Pro Bowler will be sidelined for the first six games of the season, and face no financial penalties aside from the $345K in salary he will forfeit as a result.

The attempt to settle at a middle ground between the original ban and the one the league is arguing for through its appeal raises the question of settlement talks. The NFL and NFLPA have discussed a compromise at various points in this process, but an agreement avoiding the possibility of further appeals or legal action has never seemed particularly close. The league’s closest offer to what the union could agree to was a 12-game suspension along with a fine of roughly $8MM.

Per the AP report, “it’s not clear if the sides are in active discussions” to reach a settlement which will end this saga. Earlier this week, it was reported that a significant increase in Watson’s punishment – which could very well manifest itself as Harvey agreeing with the league’s push for an indefinite suspension – was considered likely. The leverage the NFL is therefore likely to now have could significantly hinder any further settlement talks.

In the event of a lengthier ban being handed down, the Browns could turn to Jimmy Garoppolo. Cleveland initially seemed committed to Jacoby Brissett as a short-term solution, but Watson being sidelined for the entire season – or at least a more significant portion of it – as a result of the appeal could lead them to trade for the outgoing 49ers signal-caller.

The NFL has been attempting to have Watson made ineligible for preseason action as well, but with the Browns’ first game now hours away, that seems unlikely. How deep into the fall he is banned for, though, remains very much in question.

3:29pm: Barring an indefinite suspension that takes Watson off the field immediately, the Browns announced they do plan to start their big-ticket acquisition Friday.

12:50pm: Roger Goodell took a public stance on the Deshaun Watson matter, saying disciplinary officer Sue Robinson’s report indicated the Browns quarterback committed multiple violations of the NFL’s personal conduct policy. Appeals appointee Peter Harvey’s ruling could well come down week, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes.

With Robinson determining Watson violated the policy, the NFL appealed. The league’s appeal is expected to produce a much longer ban than six games. One league source called it a “slam dunk” Harvey will enforce the league’s preferred one-year ban, Aaron Wilson of ProFootballNetwork.com notes, and others would be surprised if the sixth-year QB’s ban is not significantly lengthened.

“We’ve seen the evidence,” Goodell said, via ESPN.com’s Jeff Legwold. “[Robinson] was very clear about the evidence, should we enforce the evidence. That there was multiple violations here, and they were egregious, and it was predatory behavior.”

The league is trying to move on this appeal ruling before the Browns begin their preseason slate, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, who tweets the NFL has indeed asked for an indefinite suspension that keeps the controversial QB off the field for Cleveland’s preseason as well. The NFLPA said a ruling Friday could indeed shelve Watson for the Browns’ preseason opener against the Jaguars.

Preseason competition is not exactly consequential in this grand scheme, but the league would avoid additional PR backlash by keeping Watson sidelined before his suspension starts. If a suspension does not prevent it, the Browns would like to give Watson some game action Friday, cleveland.com’s Mary Kay Cabot tweets.

Watson, who has not taken the field since Week 17 of the 2020 season, cannot return to action until at least Week 7 of this season. The NFLPA not appealing Robinson’s decision takes Watson off the field for the Browns’ first six games. This matter becoming a courtroom drama — which is the expectation — would only affect Watson’s availability for Week 7 and beyond.

The sides have discussed a settlement off and on for several weeks, but Peter King of NBC Sports adds a resolution between the NFL and NFLPA before Harvey’s ruling is unlikely. A union move to settle would make more sense at this point, with the league having a clear opportunity to see its long-held hope — a 17-game ban — come to fruition via Harvey. Absent a full-season suspension, the NFL has sought a heavy fine — in the $8MM range — that helps account for the wildly unpopular contract the Browns authorized.

The contract structure has not only irked the NFL, but King adds the deal, which dropped Watson’s 2022 base salary to the league minimum to protect him against a suspension, has not sat well with the other 31 teams as well. Multiple owners also expressed to ESPN.com’s Ed Werder that Robinson’s ruling was too light (Twitter link). If Harvey’s suspension sidelines Watson throughout the 2022 season, his contract tolls to 2023. The QB’s deal would, then, run from 2023-27. Watson playing in 2022 keeps him signed through 2026.