The Cleveland Browns introduced embattled quarterback Deshaun Watson on Friday afternoon, and when asked about his 22 active civil lawsuits that allege sexual misconduct, he maintained his innocence and denied any wrongdoing. The three-time Pro Bowler also told reporters that he doesn't have any regrets from his year-long, off-the-field drama with the Houston Texans.
Although Watson won't face criminal charges for these allegations -- a second Texas grand jury declined to indict him on Thursday -- it remains unclear when he'll make his 2022 debut. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has the power to suspend Watson, under the league's personal conduct policy, and some form of discipline seems inevitable. Still, the Browns accepted the risks and public backlash by trading for Watson, and they supported their decision on Friday.
"Would the NFL actually render a suspension if the civil cases are still open? I'm not sure how they'd do that," Maggie Gray said during Friday's edition of the Maggie and Perloff show. "Civil cases can go on for years, especially the volume we're working with. This could take a long time. So, is it possible that Watson could actually play this entire upcoming season, if these civil cases are still pending?..."
"There's so much more work to be done with the civil cases. We're two years into the cases, it feels like they're just scratching the surface," Andrew Perloff said. "A suspension is such a question mark. Because, what if it's three years from now?... When they say, 'We have full confidence in Deshaun,' doesn't it imply they found he did no wrongdoing?... We know the allegations. I don't think we have a strong sense of Watson's defense..."
Watson, who was drafted 12th overall by the Texans in 2017, didn't play a snap for them last season -- he was listed as a healthy scratch for 18 weeks. When the 26-year-old last saw action, during 2020, he threw for a career-high 4,823 yards with 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Watson agreed to waive his no-trade clause and join the Browns last Friday, one day after telling them that they were no longer in the running to acquire him.
The blockbuster deal included three first-round draft picks and two additional picks, sent from Cleveland to Houston. But that's not all -- Watson received a fully-guaranteed $230 million extension from the Browns, and it was revealed that his base salary for 2022 is only $1 million. The team denied safeguarding Watson from potential suspension on Friday, saying that this miniscule salary was designed to create payroll flexibility moving forward.
Maggie and Perloff's complete thoughts on Watson's future can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Maggie and Perloff Show on Twitter @MaggieandPerl and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.