We’re Starting To Get Some Clarity on Deshaun Watson’s Likely Suspension And It Might Not Happen When You Think

When the Browns made the stunning move of signing quarterback Deshaun Watson, the speculation of how long he might be suspended was more varied than the opinions on Will Smith slapping Chris Rock. (By the way we don’t need think pieces on every single thing that happens, some shit is just wild and awesome.) Some thought he would get 6 games and appeal it down to 4 while others thought he might lose a whole season. The situation is so unique and high-profile that no one really knew what that clown Roger Goodell might do.

Well yesterday he gave the world a hint at what he isn’t going to do and that’s place Watson on the commissioner’s exempt list.

So as it stands, Watson won’t fall into football purgatory with no end date on his suspension. You probably remember the exempt list keeping Josh Gordon out of the NFL year after year and him having to report to Goodell’s office each offseason like a probation officer and plead his case to play. Sorry Josh, another failed piss test for weed. Back to IG workout videos for you.

This is notable because Goodell is currently at the owner’s meetings where it seems like every cry baby Billionaire in the league is pissed they now have to fully guarantee their next QB contract if the guy is worth a shit.

To that I say, and I mean this from the bottom of my heart, fuuuuuuuuck you. Most of the league owners are just new aged mobsters who do their dirt under the disguise of a corporation instead of under the banner of Omerta. Spare me the tears over morality, Dan Snyder and company.

This is the same group of people that had only two “no” votes and allowed Art Modell to steal Cleveland’s franchise in the middle of the night because he was a god awful business man (Yes we still hold that grudge. Shout out to Ralph Wilson and Dan Rooney). 

But here’s the twist: Just because his suspension won’t be indefinite doesn’t mean it will be at the start of next season. Something I don’t think many had thought about.

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Zack Jackson from The Athletic on his A to Z Podcast with Andre Knott explained it really well this week.

I think the next central talking point…it is when the suspension comes or doesn’t come. The other layer to this Dre, is there is precedent for the NFL suspending guys without charges based on their own findings and based on accusations. Ben Roethlisberger and Zeke Elliot come to mind. But There is also the chance that either don’t suspend him until the cases are settled or they do and one gets settled and then he gets suspended late in the year.

I think some of us, I was part of this, assumed when we saw the contract…like he’s going to get 2 or 4. It’s going to be at the beginning of the year. The Browns will try and win one or two and then they play.

This scenario hadn't even crossed my mind. The structure of the contract, with him only making one million the first year, screamed that the team was bracing for a suspension. And those happen to start a season most of the time.

So that means there is a chance that Watson begins the year as the Browns’ starting quarterback and could instead face a suspension mid-season, or even worse for Browns fans, late in the year. That would be the most Cleveland thing ever. To start off red hot and windup missing the playoffs, or even getting eliminated from them early, because your new franchise quarterback has to sit at home for an extended period of time.

I guess that’s the risk you run when you decide to bring in a guy facing accusations like Watson and fully-guarantee his contract though. A gamble that two of the most corrupt Billionaires in the league were willing to take. But even with that risk, most Browns fans will ride with the Haslams and Watson, because for once the corruption and scandal seems to be leaning in Cleveland’s favor.  

We go super in-depth on this in the latest episode of the Pound Town podcast with myself and Brian Kenny. If you aren’t already subscribed then shame on you. Get your shit together man, seriously. Find it wherever you get your pods.