Browns leaked Deshaun Watson's sexual assault lawsuit story as exit strategy to $230,000,000 contract, Dan Le Batard suggests
The Cleveland Browns' campaign did not get off to the best start, as the Dallas Cowboys thrashed them 33-17 at home. While none of their players had a particularly good day, quarterback Deshaun Watson's performance was heavily scrutinized.
He completed only 24 of his 45 pass attempts for 169 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions. To make matters worse, he's now facing another lawsuit, as a woman in Texas has accused him of sexual assault and battery. A new lawsuit on the heels of a horrendous outing was the last thing Watson needed.
On an episode of the Dan Le Batard Show posted Tuesday on YouTube, Le Batard suggests the Browns possibly had a hand in leaking it to the media as a way out from Watson's five-year $230 million contract that he signed in 2022. (Start at 15:51)
“The number of people who will defend this behavior if they think their quarterback is good, and then the strategic leaking of stuff that makes you wonder, are they trying to get out from under the contract? The finances of this [are] so cold and awful that you’re now like, oh the Browns are going to try and see if they can sneak away from everything there when they shouldn’t be able to,” said Dan Le Batard.
Are the Browns releasing Deshaun Watson?
So far, there are no suggestions that the Browns are looking to move on from Deshaun Watson and what's left of his $230 million contract. The NFL also isn't in a rush to hand out a ruling on the matter.
They have commenced their investigation and could suspend him again for violating the league's personal conduct policy. He has already served an 11-game suspension for alleged illicit behavior. However, Deshaun Watson could be punished further as the league views the latest lawsuit as separate from the ones filed in 2021.
If the 28-year-old does get suspended, Mike Florio believes the Browns have the apparatus to cut the quarterback and avoid paying the $92 million left on his deal. So far, there's nothing to suggest that the franchise had a role in the news breaking a day after his nightmare outing against the Cowboys or that the franchise was trying to find ways to cut their losses.
However, things could move quickly if the NFL hits the quarterback with more disciplinary action.