Key detail of latest Deshaun Watson allegations change everything for Browns QB

Following the 2021 season, the Cleveland Browns looked across the division and grew envious of their AFC North rivals. The Baltimore Ravens reinvented their offense with quarterback Lamar Jackson, who is now a two-time NFL MVP. The Pittsburgh Steelers still had two-time Super Bowl champion Ben Roethlisberger. Even the Cincinnati Bengals were ascending with Joe Burrow, who had just led his team to a Super Bowl appearance in his sophomore campaign.

Desperate to escape the doldrums, the Browns mortgaged their future to acquire quarterback Deshaun Watson from the Houston Texans in 2022. Along with a heap of draft picks, Cleveland rewarded Watson with an unprecedented fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract.

Watson was once compared to Houdini for his ability to create magic within a collapsing pocket, but his time in Cleveland has not gone how the Browns had hoped. During a Week 1 loss against the Dallas Cowboys, Watson looked like a shell of the quarterback he used to be. 

While his on-field performance was worrisome, new off-field developments have become even more concerning. A new lawsuit filed on Monday accused Watson of sexual assault and battery while on a date in 2020. The civil suit claims Watson exposed himself, requested a massage and sexually assaulted the victim before leaving her apartment.

New lawsuit could allow Browns to void guarantees, release Deshaun Watson

The lawsuit was filed in Texas by attorney Tony Buzbee, who also represented more than 20 women who sued Watson in 2022 for sexual assault and harassment. Watson previously reached a settlement agreement with the league that included an 11-game suspension during the 2022 season for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

The new civil lawsuit against Watson would not be covered by his prior reinstatement agreement with the league, according to Jonathan Jones of CBS Sports. If Watson violated the NFL’s personal conduct policy, he could face another lengthy suspension.

Watson’s previous agreement with the league stipulated that he could not face further disciplinary action for allegations stemming from the “same or substantially similar conduct” that took place before the date of the agreement in August 2022, per CBS Sports. The league is still allowed to impose discipline for any incident that becomes a criminal charge or involves “the use or threat of physical force or a weapon.”

If the league determines that the new civil lawsuit is not “substantially similar” to the previous allegations, Watson could face further discipline from the league for violating the personal conduct policy.

Notably, violating the personal conduct policy could also void the guaranteed money in Watson’s contract. In that scenario, the Browns would have the option to release Watson before the 2025 season with relatively minor salary cap penalties.

A default clause in Watson’s contract allows the Browns to void the deal “for Conduct Detrimental” or if he is suspended due to the league’s personal conduct policy, according to Connor Orr of Sports Illustrated. The clause also states that Watson’s contract could be voided if he is “reasonably believed by Club to have engaged in personal conduct that materially and adversely affects or reflects on Club or has his contract terminated for engaging in personal conduct that reasonably judged by Club to materially and adversely affect or reflect on Club.” 

While some fans have called for the team to release Watson after his abysmal Week 1 performance, it’s virtually impossible to do so right now. Releasing Watson would result in a dead salary cap hit of $119.9 million in 2024 and $80.7 million in 2025 — roughly $200 million altogether, per Spotrac. Releasing Watson after the 2024 season would still result in approximately $172.7 million in dead money.

If Watson’s guarantees are voided, Cleveland would be able to release him before the 2025 season with a dead cap charge of approximately $27 million in 2025 and $54 million in 2026.

The league launched an investigation into the matter shortly after the civil lawsuit was filed. Buzbee said his client plans to meet with the league and will have a “pertinent video” to show them, the CBS Sports report claims.