The NFL should look at what the MLB did, but I have to think they won't entertain anything close to this. However, while the cases seem different from my cursory understanding the sheer number of complainants may force the NFL to take a harder line than in past cases. It looks like MLB is trying to put players on notice that this kind of behavior is not acceptable and will cost you a major chunk of change/career. If that damn WR got a year suspension for betting, you would hope the NFL would think about sending a message that they, the owners, the players and the fans care about women's safety. With DW's cute contract structure, I'd love to see them suspend him 25 games or start a year suspension at mid-season. The latter could screw the Browns for 2 seasons and give us better position with our remaining picks.
legal innocence includes many who are factually guilty and even more who are spiritually guilty But sports leagues tend to be more concerned with PR than actual guilt or innocence. See Bauer.
That scumbag won't suffer regardless. The one solace, if it can be called that, of Deshaun Watson receiving a monster contract from the Cleveland Browns is the strong possibility he could be suspended by the NFL due to any of the 22 open accusations of assault against him. Even if that does happen, though, Watson won’t feel the pain to his pocketbook. Due to the way Watson’s five-year, $230 million deal is structured, any salary he would lose as a result of suspension during the 2022 season would be minimal, according to NBC Sports’ Peter King. “What is also reprehensible is the fact that Watson’s signing bonus is a reported $45 million, while his first-year salary is a relatively puny $1.035 million, which becomes significant if he gets suspended, as is widely expected,” King wrote Monday in his Football Morning In America column. “The suspension and resulting fine would come out of his salary only. Say the NFL bans him for six games. The fine would be $345,000, which is seven-tenths of 1 percent of his 2022 compensation. https://nesn.com/2022/03/deshaun-watson-browns-contract-suspension-bonus-outrage/
The tweet you quoted made it sound like the suspension could potentially begin in 2023. His base salary starting in 2023 is $46M, instead of $1.035M this year. Part of me DOES want the suspension to start then for that reason. Might not be better for the Texans with the draft picks we got from them. Maybe they'll suspend him 2 years and he'll have to sit out both.
I wonder if the Browns would renegotiate the salary terms for him if it does start next year. Regardless, I'm with you about the 2 years, but that will never happen in the league that is pretty lenient on sexual abusers and domestic violence types. He did take it to a whole new level though. If guys get suspended months for abusing one woman you would think 22 women should easily be two years. If the cases keep coming into court separately though, I could see suspensions keep adding up.
I dont believe he will play until these cases are resolved. He may get paid his 2022 salary. I expect the cases to be resolved next offseason and then he will be suspended. How long, that's up to God'ell. Hopefully he takes into account the nature/number of the alleged crimes and suspends him for the entire 2023 season as well. This would be optimal for maximizing the Browns/Texans picks and really punish the Browns as well as Watson.
So from what I am reading, is it true that if the cases are still pending he will not play this year, and get suspended in 2023 for a period of time? Set me straight if I'm wrong. Seems to good to be true, especially for the Texans That would be pretty good for our draft possibilities next year if he does not see the field. If something that good happens to the Texans it will be an indication that the black cloud may lift on this team.
If the lawsuits don't resolve and no suspension is levied, he can play. I would imagine the Browns would let him play since their position from the beginning is that he is of good character and they support him. So unless Goodell gets some balls and suspends him without a resolution on the civil cases, I expect he plays in 2022. The only reason he didn't play last year for the Texans is because he wanted out and the Texans were okay with paying him to ride the pine. It wasn't directed by the league or anything.
Right. The only way he doesn't play is if the NFL suspends him, and from what I've read they are unlikely to do that while the cases are pending
It also looks like the Browns will still have Baker to start the season. He would probably be considered the best backup QB in the league. All of this sucks for our pick.
I don't think anyone has a sense of if, when or how long DW would be suspended. NFL has every reason to wait to see how the civil suits play out. Some interesting thoughts in this Reddit thread...
Yup not sure why they’d give the Browns a break. They basically told the league to go ahead and suspend him when they agreed to that $1M salary this year.
