Deshaun Watson Agrees to Trade to the Cleveland Browns

Per week after a Harris County, Texas, grand jury rejected 9 felony instances in opposition to him, Deshaun Watson agreed to waive his no-trade clause to facilitate a commerce to the Cleveland Browns from the Houston Texans, an individual with direct information of the transfer confirmed on Friday. That particular person requested anonymity as a result of the crew had not introduced the commerce.

To amass the 26-year-old Watson, the Browns will hand over three first-round draft picks and two further picks, based on the particular person, offering the important return the Texans had been in search of for one of many N.F.L.’s most gifted younger quarterbacks. Watson’s settlement to be traded to the Browns was first reported by ESPN and the NFL Network.

Watson had not performed since finishing the 2020 season with the Texans, when he requested a commerce. Weeks after that demand, 22 girls accused Watson of sexual misconduct throughout therapeutic massage appointments in civil lawsuits which stay unresolved.

Watson has denied any wrongdoing, and his lawyer, Rusty Hardin, has mentioned any sexual acts that occurred throughout therapeutic massage appointments had been consensual.

There was no indication when the N.F.L. will full its investigation of Watson for potential violations of its private conduct coverage. League investigators had been ready for a decision within the felony instances to interview Watson however have already spoken to a number of of the ladies who filed complaints in opposition to him.

Watson reportedly additionally met this week with the Falcons, Panthers and Saints. As a result of Watson needed to waive his no-trade clause earlier than a deal might be made, the commerce talks performed out extra like a bidding warfare, even because the 22 lawsuits filed in opposition to him continued to maneuver forward. Watson additionally sought to have his compensation assured by his new crew, however the Browns went a step additional, giving Watson a brand new and absolutely assured five-year, $230 million contract, an individual with direct information of the phrases of the deal confirmed. That particular person requested anonymity as a result of the crew had not introduced the contract phrases.

Between conferences with N.F.L. groups, Watson was deposed on Tuesday for 2 of the civil fits. Tony Buzbee, the lawyer for the 22 plaintiffs, mentioned in an interview Tuesday night that Watson didn’t invoke his Fifth Modification proper to not self-incriminate in Tuesday’s depositions and answered questions below oath for the primary time. Buzbee mentioned final Friday’s grand jury resolution hasn’t affected his shoppers’ willingness to maneuver ahead with their civil instances, nor have there been any renewed settlement conversations. He added that no N.F.L. groups had reached out to him for data on the instances or to hunt to speak with any of the ladies.

Baker Mayfield, the No. 1 general choose by the Browns in 2018, posted to Twitter on Tuesday night what was primarily a farewell letter to Cleveland after information broke of Watson’s assembly with the Browns. Mayfield was the beginning quarterback for the Browns when the franchise broke its 17-year postseason drought, however the crew had not sought to signal him to a second contract. He’s not a part of the Browns’ commerce bundle however is predicted to be moved to a different crew.

The commerce ends an deadlock between Watson and the Texans that dates again to early 2021, when the quarterback demanded to be moved to a brand new crew after having grown disillusioned with the franchise’s route.

Watson signed a four-year, $156 million extension with the crew in September 2020, however he and the Texans slogged to a 4-12 file whereas Invoice O’Brien was fired as coach and normal supervisor midseason. Watson’s rift with the crew grew when crew executives did not uphold their pledge to incorporate him within the seek for a brand new coach and normal supervisor. The Texans went exterior the method of the search agency they had been working with to rent Basic Supervisor Nick Caserio, an govt with ties to Jack Easterby, a former character coach in New England, who assumed an outsize function within the crew’s soccer operations.

Watson was eligible to play in 2021 and earned his full $10.5 million base wage from the Texans, however he was inactive for each recreation.

The N.F.L.’s private conduct coverage stipulates that gamers can face self-discipline even with no felony conviction in the event that they interact in prohibited behaviors, together with intercourse offenses and any conduct that poses hazard to the security and well-being of one other particular person. Jameis Winston was suspended for 3 video games in 2018 after an Uber driver mentioned he grabbed her crotch. Kareem Hunt was suspended for eight video games in 2019 after the discharge of a video that confirmed him shoving and kicking a girl at a lodge. Prison prices weren’t filed in both case.