The Cleveland Browns are reportedly still investigating a commerce for quarterback Deshaun Watson of the Houston Texans.
That is in response to Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com, who cites unnamed sources who consider the Browns are interested in buying Watson, who didn’t play in 2021 whereas coping with lawsuits filed by 22 girls who’ve accused him of inappropriate habits and sexual assault.
On Friday, a prosecutor in Harris County, Texas, introduced that Watson is not going to face felony costs, which opened up the floodgates of hypothesis about which workforce will probably be prepared to carry Watson on board.
According to Pro Football Network’s Aaron Wilson, the Browns are considered one of eight groups which have contacted the Texans about Watson. In addition to Cleveland, the listing contains the Carolina Panthers, Seattle Seahawks, Minnesota Vikings, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the New Orleans Saints.
Related: Could the Browns pursue a commerce for Deshaun Watson? Would they? Should they?
Any interested workforce must take care of Watson’s no-trade clause as effectively, so even when the Browns do ultimately supply up a commerce bundle, Watson can merely shoot it down.
On Sunday, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero reported that the Panthers and Saints have made commerce provides, however didn’t present particulars of what every workforce is providing. Pelissero did report that Houston is searching for three first-round picks and gamers in trade for Watson.
Under that commerce situation, the Browns might supply up incumbent quarterback Baker Mayfield together with that trio of first-round picks since they might not want his providers with Watson on the roster. If the Texans should not interested in Mayfield, a participant that many Browns followers have decided is past salvageable, then it would require giving up a participant like Pro Bowl cornerback Denzel Ward to seal the deal, in response to Cabot.
The participant(s) and draft picks want to amass Watson are simply a part of the equation, after all. Given the character of accusations towards Watson, the Browns would wish a agency plan in place to take care of what can be a major public relations hit.
The membership does have a current historical past of coping with gamers who’ve discovered bother off the sector in working again Kareem Hunt and defensive deal with Malcolm McDowell.
Neither of these gamers performs quarterback, a place that’s the de facto face of the franchise, and to not reduce what they did, however Watson’s off-field points are on a totally totally different stage.
In any occasion, with free company and the brand new league yr opening this week, there ought to be a fast decision to the place Watson will play subsequent season.