New details emerge regarding Deshaun Watson's possible complications with lawsuit settlement
Deshaun Watson is finally out of Houston and is now preparing for the 2022 NFL season with his new team, the Cleveland Browns. But that doesn’t mean his legal woes have gone away.
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As the NFL draft approaches, the media has turned most of its focus to the draft and speculation on draft picks, but some are still offering opinions on Watson's pending depositions and where the proceedings are headed. Recently, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio expressed his views on Watson's current legal troubles:
“It’s just a reminder. When you see that, it’s vivid. This is still there. It’s not going away. The sooner it goes away, the better everyone will be. Get everybody in a room, get a tired judge that everyone respects, that the lawyers will listen to, and broker a settlement of all the cases, and just move on."
Florio went on to say:
"I think we’re at the point where Watson needs it, the Browns need it, and the fans definitely need that to be gone. Because every good thing that happens is going to have an asterix behind it.”
Now, with twenty-two civil lawsuits still pending investigation after criminal charges were not pursued, Watson faces quite a commute to attend depositions. It’s this new development that Tony Buzbee, the attorney representing the alleged victims, could use to elicit a settlement from the troubled quarterback.
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Watson's attorney Rusty Harden had this to say in a document filed in court on Friday.
“Mr. Watson recently moved out of state and currently lives in Ohio. He also has a full-time job that requires his presence in Ohio Monday through Friday. As a result, Mr. Watson is not available for depositions in Texas on the dates unilaterally noticed by Plaintiffs. Counsel for Mr. Watson offered multiple dates for Mr. Watson’s deposition that were rejected by Plaintiffs’ counsel.”
Will Browns fans accept Deshaun Watson as their quarterback even after settlements are reached?
The attorney for the plaintiffs hope to leverage Watson's relocation as an incentive to settle. What does this mean for Watson? With a publicly celebrated new salary through his contract with the Cleveland Browns, any settlements that may have been considered before would balloon by a substantial amount.
Watson, thus far, has shown no inclination toward settling. As the investigation continues, the quarterback has reported to his new team and, in a recent tweet, shown his excitement. The Browns fans are largely split. While their new quarterback is a proven talent and one of the best in the NFL, his off-the-field issues have understandably rubbed some the wrong way.