Deshaun Watson To Cleveland Browns Even As NFL Suspension Possible – OutKick

The Deshaun Watson commerce saga is over, as he has waived his no commerce clause to hitch the Cleveland Browns, an NFL supply confirmed to OutKick on Friday.

The commerce will ship three first-round draft picks from the Browns to the Houston Texans plus different issues.

The Browns get the final remaining elite veteran quarterback out there this offseason after convincing Watson to decide on them over three different suitors that attempted to lure him in conferences this week.

The Carolina Panthers, Atlanta Falcons and New Orleans Saints additionally met with Watson this week attempting to lure him, however the Browns gained.

Watson will grow to be one among many elite quarterbacks within the AFC who’ve been taking part in there for years or be part of the convention this 12 months.

The AFC additionally consists of chargers quarterback Justin Herbert, Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson, Payments quarterback Josh Allen, Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow, and now Watson.

Watson is anticipated to signal a brand new contract with the Browns price in extra of roughly $220 million over 5 years.

The Browns will commerce incumbent quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Watson, 26, has not performed because the 2020 season. He spent the 2021 season in authorized limbo as the method of working by a felony investigation and 22 civil lawsuits stemming from allegations of sexual misconduct by the quarterback towards girls who work as masseuses in Houston performed out.

That course of took a major step ahead in Watson’s favor final week when a Harris County, TX., Grand Jury declined at hand down any indictments after listening to testimony for six hours.

That call means Watson won’t be arrested or face felony chargers, which was sufficient for a number of groups to leap into the fray attempting to land him in commerce.

The Panthers, Browns, Falcons and Saints instantly jumped into the commerce derby. The Seattle Seahawks, which traded Russell Wilson to the Denver Broncos, tried to be a part of the commerce course of however had been rebuffed after they had been advised Watson was not taking part in there, per an NFL supply.

Watson is evident of the felony hurdles associated to his case however civil instances stay. Certainly, this week Watson was deposed and answered questions associated to the civil lawsuits on the identical day he met with the Saints.

Past the civil query, Watson faces an NFL suspension for violating the NFL Private Conduct Coverage. That coverage doesn’t require a conviction for any offense to permit commissioner Roger Goodell to droop an NFL worker for “conduct detrimental to the integrity of and public confidence in” the NFL

One league supply advised OutKick this week she believes Goodell will droop Watson between 4 and 6 video games to begin the season. There’s priority for this punishments as former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was accused however by no means charged with sexually assaulting a Georgia faculty pupil.

Goodell suspended Roethlisberger six games and later cut that to four games previous to the 2010 season.

Regardless of all this it’s clear Watson is an elite quarterback. And he has an opportunity to get higher if the Falcons/Saints encompass him with expertise.

Watson accomplished a career-best 70.2 % of his passes in 2020, when he was final on the sector. He threw for a career-high 4,023 yards, which led the NFL and 33 touchdowns with solely 7 interceptions.

Watson additionally led the NFL in yards per try with 8.9 in 2020.

Comply with on Twitter: @ArmandoSalguero