On Monday, a brand new lawsuit was filed towards Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. After initially declining touch upon the matter, the NFL introduced on Tuesday that it’s exploring the grievance and can evaluation the matter underneath the Private Conduct Coverage.
So what occurs subsequent? Right here’s a have a look at the anticipated steps.
NFL investigation.
The evaluation will presumably embrace an effort to determine and to speak with the accuser, who filed the lawsuit underneath the Jane Doe pseudonym. As a result of the league has no subpoena energy or different units for compelling cooperation, the case goes nowhere if the accuser received’t discuss to the league.
Legal professional Tony Buzbee turns into probably the most crucial determine in that evaluation. If he recommends cooperation to his consumer, she probably will. If he recommends towards cooperating, she received’t.
The investigation will deal with corroboration of the allegations, beginning with confirming that Watson did certainly go to the accuser’s condominium on October 10, 2020. (The Texans hosted the Jaguars the subsequent day.) It can discover whether or not and to what extent she advised others in regards to the incident after it occurred.
Sooner or later, Watson will probably be interviewed.
After the investigation concludes, the league will activate the in-house course of for proving a violation — if the league believes a violation occurred.
Listening to.
The 2020 Collective Bargaining Settlement created an unbiased course of for conducting a listening to relating to potential Private Conduct Coverage violations. That equipment was used two years in the past, when Decide Sue Robinson discovered that Watson had violated the coverage in reference to 4 therapeutic massage therapists who had alleged sexual misconduct.
Within the prior case, Decide Robinson discovered that Watson’s sturdy denial of the allegations was not credible. That conclusion certainly will echo into the subsequent case, if there’s one.
On that time, Watson would possibly argue that the 2022 disciplinary course of prevents one other tried punishment arising from comparable details. Nonetheless, this case was not introduced by a therapeutic massage therapist. It’s, in essence, a declare of alleged date rape.
It could possibly be tough for Watson to argue that the NFL is trying to take a second chew of the apple. The apple appears to be wholly distinct.
Attraction.
If Decide Robinson imposes self-discipline on Watson, he can enchantment the ruling to the Commissioner.
The factual findings made by Decide Robinson can’t be overturned. The query turns into whether or not the Commissioner would lower the punishment.
Contract.
If Watson in the end is suspended for even one recreation — and if Watson didn’t disclose this potential declare in writing when he signed with the Browns — the crew might void his remaining ensures and launch him.
The stakes are very excessive. After this season, Watson has $46 million in absolutely assured pay due in 2025, and one other $46 million in absolutely assured pay due in 2026. That’s $92 million, in all.
Given the cash that all of the sudden could possibly be in danger, Watson’s finest play can be to shortly resolve the case, securing an settlement that the accuser is not going to talk about the case with anybody, absent a subpoena compelling her compliance. That might short-circuit the league’s investigation, and it will probably forestall the league from securing a suspension of Watson, since there can be no witness to dispute Watson’s denial of wrongdoing.
Nonetheless it performs out, this is a matter that would lead to each a suspension of Watson and an escape by the Browns of the ultimate two years of his contract.
