I would be stunned if the NFL allows the season to start without the Watson punishment coming down.

Goodell has already said commissioner exempt list is no longer in play because the criminal matter is over. He can always change his mind, but that does not appear to be the way this will play out

What is the deal with all the talk of Watson getting a "paid suspension" for a year? Wow, that's some punishment, wish I could get one of those.

Aust Ag said:

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What is the deal with all the talk of Watson getting a "paid suspension" for a year? Wow, that's some punishment, wish I could get one of those.

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That sounds like the commissioner's exempt list, which is supposedly off the table per Goodell. If he ultimately went that route though, it wouldn't be a good thing for Watson. It'd basically mean Goodell is deferring an official decision until the process has played out more. Reason being that Goodell doesn't want to levy a punishment that looks too light just a few months after it's issued.

Ryan34 said:

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Aust Ag said:

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What is the deal with all the talk of Watson getting a "paid suspension" for a year? Wow, that's some punishment, wish I could get one of those.

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That sounds like the commissioner's exempt list, which is supposedly off the table per Goodell. If he ultimately went that route though, it wouldn't be a good thing for Watson. It'd basically mean Goodell is deferring an official decision until the process has played out more. Reason being that Goodell doesn't want to levy a punishment that looks too light just a few months after it's issued.

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I thought his salary was $1 for 2022.

$1.035 million for 2022.

dcaggie04 said:

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$1.035 million for 2022.

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Meant to type $1M. That is a drop in the bucket compared to '23 and beyond.

Ryan34 said:

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Aust Ag said:

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What is the deal with all the talk of Watson getting a "paid suspension" for a year? Wow, that's some punishment, wish I could get one of those.

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That sounds like the commissioner's exempt list, which is supposedly off the table per Goodell. If he ultimately went that route though, it wouldn't be a good thing for Watson. It'd basically mean Goodell is deferring an official decision until the process has played out more. Reason being that Goodell doesn't want to levy a punishment that looks too light just a few months after it's issued.

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The NFL is in such a difficult spot here. Protect the shield and all that, but there isn't really an end in site at this point. They did an investigation but will have to continue investigating new allegations. They could say on a certain date, Watson's punishment is whatever and any new allegations will be investigated separately.

I heard a couple of interviews with league employees and neither wanted to assume could happen. One noted that a player has never been put on the exempt list without criminal charges being filed, but followed it up with the Watson situation has never happened before.

I think you make a good point that Watson being added to the exempt list puts the pressure on him to take action. He doesn't want any suspension spilling over into the next season because that's over 2 years away from the game, and the money has a much more significant impact.

Also think about it from the NFLs side of things.

Civil or not there's no way they can trot him out there when the season starts with 26 sexual assault allegations lingering over him.

Not fishy at all... just lucky timing

Ag_07 said:

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Also think about it from the NFLs side of things.

Civil or not there's no way they can trot him out there when the season starts with 26 sexual assault allegations lingering over him.

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I agree and this is why I find why the NFL is taking this long to make a decision baffling…suspend him for a year and be done…quit jacking around with this decision.

It's taking this long because as soon as they wrap up their investigation of 22 cases 2 more come and then 2 more.

They can't just say 1 year because what if more come after that.

This is unchartered territory for the NFL and why I think paid leave sounds like a good solution.

Paid leave until everything is either settled or resolved in court then suspension based on the court proceedings.

Just imagine if they suspend him then these all go to court and all the dirt gets aired but because he served his suspension NFL can't do anything further. I think the NFL wants to hear the court testimony but they can't let him play while they wait on that.

FWIW if I'm Deshaun I'm settling with all these chicks with an NDA and moving on with life. His guaranteed contract gives him the financial flexibility to just cut ties and settle. Hell he could give 4 mil to each and still be alright.

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NFL can't do anything further.

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what do you base that on?

if new information is learned, NFL can suspend based on that.

Ag_07 said:

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It's taking this long because as soon as they wrap up their investigation of 22 cases 2 more come and then 2 more.

They can't just say 1 year because what if more come after that.

This is unchartered territory for the NFL and why I think paid leave sounds like a good solution.

Paid leave until everything is either settled or resolved in court then suspension based on the court proceedings.

Just imagine if they suspend him then these all go to court and all the dirt gets aired but because he served his suspension NFL can't do anything further. I think the NFL wants to hear the court testimony but they can't let him play while they wait on that.

FWIW if I'm Deshaun I'm settling with all these chicks with an NDA and moving on with life. His guaranteed contract gives him the financial flexibility to just cut ties and settle. Hell he could give 4 mil to each and still be alright.

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The problem with the settlement idea is that it requires consent of another, which I don't know they're willing to do. Solis in particular was originally willing to settle for $30k, but now that she has been drug through the media, I can't imagine that'd she'd just disappear with an NDA for a low price. Everybody has a price though.

We should also remember that Goodell can fine Deshaun. So, sure, let him sit on the exempt list next year and collect paychecks. But Goodell could just as easily impose a fine substantially equal to those paychecks.

In either way, all of this is great for the Texans. Whether he gets paid or not is not our problem, we just don't want him playing.

True

Guess what I meant was I can't imagine the NFL handing out multiple suspensions over multiple years for multiple cases that get brought up.

Suppose they could though.

And yes...I just hope he misses at least all of this season and then anything after that is icing on the Texans cake.

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The problem with the settlement idea is that it requires consent of another, which I don't know they're willing to do. Solis in particular was originally willing to settle for $30k, but now that she has been drug through the media, I can't imagine that'd she'd just disappear with an NDA for a low price. Everybody has a price though.

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It's crazy for me to think that Watson had the opportunity to get out from 18 of these lawsuits by paying 100k back in Nov 2021, and they chose not to since there were still 4 lingering. I understand that it was to get the Dolphins trade done and they required all to be settled, but what a missed opportunity.

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We should also remember that Goodell can fine Deshaun. So, sure, let him sit on the exempt list next year and collect paychecks. But Goodell could just as easily impose a fine substantially equal to those paychecks.

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I'm inclined to think that the CBA would not allow the NFL to fine players for actions outside of the field.

EDIT: Accountability: Fines & Appeals | NFL Football Operations

Granted, Florio has been very biased against Watson this whole time, but he does pose interesting points.

Is paid leave back on the table for Deshaun Watson? The NFL declines to comment

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That said, if any discipline whatsoever is imposed by the Disciplinary Officer (including, presumably, even a fine), the Commissioner has the power to "modify or increase" the punishment to whatever he wants it to be.

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I don't think fines for off-field issues are completely out of Goodell's purview. If there is a violation of the player conduct policy, these are completely in Goodell's ballpark. It's been widely accepted that Deshaun will either receive a suspension, fine, or combination of the two.

The NFL player conduct policy has this "catch all" rule in there under "prohibited conduct":

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Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity of the NFL, NFL clubs, or NFL personnel.

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It's crazy for me to think that Watson had the opportunity to get out from 18 of these lawsuits by paying 100k back in Nov 2021

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have we seen anything substantiating that as true?

BMX Bandit said:

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It's crazy for me to think that Watson had the opportunity to get out from 18 of these lawsuits by paying 100k back in Nov 2021

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have we seen anything substantiating that as true?

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I haven't seen it with my own eyes, but apparently it was part of the 203 page deposition transcript.

Texan_Aggie said:

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Granted, Florio has been very biased against Watson this whole time, but he does pose interesting points.

Is paid leave back on the table for Deshaun Watson? The NFL declines to comment

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That said, if any discipline whatsoever is imposed by the Disciplinary Officer (including, presumably, even a fine), the Commissioner has the power to "modify or increase" the punishment to whatever he wants it to be.

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I don't think fines for off-field issues are completely out of Goodell's purview. If there is a violation of the player conduct policy, these are completely in Goodell's ballpark. It's been widely accepted that Deshaun will either receive a suspension, fine, or combination of the two.

The NFL player conduct policy has this "catch all" rule in there under "prohibited conduct":

Quote:

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Conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity of the NFL, NFL clubs, or NFL personnel.

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It's been interesting following Florio through this because he has had a major shift from acting like Buzbee is an ambulance chaser to fully against Deshaun. Also since he is/was a lawyer he does have valuable insight into the process.

BMX Bandit said:

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I would be stunned if the NFL allows the season to start without the Watson punishment coming down.

Goodell has already said commissioner exempt list is no longer in play because the criminal matter is over. He can always change his mind, but that does not appear to be the way this will play out

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We'll see. But I would be stunned if the league hands out his punishment while the civil suits linger on. My guess is the league wants this stuff over and done with before handing out discipline. The Ray Rice debacle is not lost on them.

And have others have noted, the league already seems to be changing its tune on the commissioner's exempt list.

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2022/06/17/report-nfl-to-probably-seek-a-one-year-suspension-for-deshaun-watson/

Anybody else amazed that the Texans actually got rid of him and got something for him? Seeing how this is going down currently, they fleeced the Browns.

I don't think we should be amazed. We should expect this type of stuff now. Not perfection but just moves that make sense.

If it's just a one year suspension that's a win for both sides.

His salary this year is minimal so Browns aren't paying out the ass for him to sit and the Texans win because it improves that draft pick.

So if it is a one year suspension then the next time he would play would be around September 2023. The last time he played a live game was Jan 3, 2021. That's a long time to take off from live action and expect to not lose a step for awhile.

Ag_07 said:

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If it's just a one year suspension that's a win for both sides.

His salary this year is minimal so Browns aren't paying out the ass for him to sit and the Texans win because it improves that draft pick.

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I think that's more of a win for us than being a win for both sides. He'll be at almost 3 years of no competitive playing time. The amount of russt for a position that requires repetitions will probably mean it won't be until the 2nd half of 2023 or maybe even 2024 before he could potentially regain form (if he ever does). Which would mean another high draft pick from Cleveland for us, and a boat anchor of a contract form them...in addition to also potentially being tied to the wrong side of one of the more lopsided trades when it's all said and done.

I don't disagree but I think based on how this new deal was structured with the low salary this year CLE went into this expecting a 1 year suspension.

So what I'm saying is it's a win for them since it wouldn't be any more than had already accounted for.

Ag_07 said:

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I don't disagree but I think based on how this new deal was structured with the low salary this year CLE went into this expecting a 1 year suspension.

So what I'm saying is it's a win for them since it wouldn't be any more than had already accounted for.

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I get you, but I think they were expecting like 6 to 8 games, then get the rust knocked off the rest of the games for cheap and roll into 2023 with some momentum. Not losing him for the whole year and then have to knock the rust off in 2023 with him costing a guaranteed 50+ million on the books. If he looks like crap for the first 6 to 8 games in 2023 because he was out of all of 2022, then they will be in for a rough 2023 both on and off the field.

I agree they were not expecting a year. Also think they still don't regret the trade.

does Watson have to play a game for the Browns before his name is added to their crappy QB jersey?

Ag_07 said:

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I don't disagree but I think based on how this new deal was structured with the low salary this year CLE went into this expecting a 1 year suspension.

So what I'm saying is it's a win for them since it wouldn't be any more than had already accounted for.

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I'm not so sure about that. I think they took a gamble on it, but I think the $1MM to offset a suspension came directly from the Watson camp. I'm guessing they expected 6-8 games, an entire season with their Mayfield situation is not what they were expecting.

I also think that the contract bothers both the NFL and ownership of the other teams. They completely reset the QB market with that deal, and they are still required to put all guaranteed money into escrow, which is a problem for some of the teams out there. Because this contract was meant to circumvent a loss of player compensation due to suspension I could see the NFL putting him on the exempt list, so the Browns have to pay his salary but also don't get to put him on the field. The suspension might not come until the civil suits are resolved. The NFL/Goodell are going to set a precedent with how they respond to this situation, I'm real curious to see how it shakes out.

Training camp is around the corner, something is going to happen soon.

Max Power said:

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Ag_07 said:

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I don't disagree but I think based on how this new deal was structured with the low salary this year CLE went into this expecting a 1 year suspension.

So what I'm saying is it's a win for them since it wouldn't be any more than had already accounted for.

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I'm not so sure about that. I think they took a gamble on it, but I think the $1MM to offset a suspension came directly from the Watson camp. I'm guessing they expected 6-8 games, an entire season with their Mayfield situation is not what they were expecting.

I also think that the contract bothers both the NFL and ownership of the other teams. They completely reset the QB market with that deal, and they are still required to put all guaranteed money into escrow, which is a problem for some of the teams out there. Because this contract was meant to circumvent a loss of player compensation due to suspension I could see the NFL putting him on the exempt list, so the Browns have to pay his salary but also don't get to put him on the field. The suspension might not come until the civil suits are resolved. The NFL/Goodell are going to set a precedent with how they respond to this situation, I'm real curious to see how it shakes out.

Training camp is around the corner, something is going to happen soon.

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Man, I agree 100% on everything here.

At this point, I would laugh my ass off if Mayfield grows up a bit and decides to come into training camp ready to compete...looks great in camp (probably better than Watson will because of rust) and then goes on to have a great year while Watson is suspended and the Browns are left with a media **** storm.

ESPN just announced that Buzbee says 20 of 24 have been settled.