"Looks worse, sounds worse, appears to be worse" - Rich Eisen doubts Deshaun Watson-led Browns in 2022
The Deshaun Watson saga continues to rumble on, with twists and turns on an almost daily basis. None of which ever seems to bring good news for the Cleveland Browns quarterback.
You have to wonder if Jimmy Haslam is having a colossal case of buyers' remorse right about now. When will his new franchise quarterback take the field?
Popular NFL analyst Rich Eisen certainly does not believe it will be in 2022. Eisen was asked for his opinion on who he preferred between Cleveland and New Orleans, and he provided the following take:
"I still need to see what the Browns are gonna look like. And I have no idea what Deshaun Watson is going to look like, or what this team is going to look like. Or if we're going to see Deshaun Watson at all. Every single day, anything comes out more about the civil lawsuits about Deshaun Watson, it looks worse, sounds worse, appears to be worse."
Should the Browns not have him in the huddle, Eisen knows exactly who is to blame.
He continued:
"And the idea that they vetted everything and were fine with whatever they learned and gave him $230 million in guaranteed money just becomes that much more mystifying."
He concluded by saying:
"It's just like, Hey, brother, it might not have been illegal but what it is is absolutely suspendable behavior in the National Football League and questions, all of the motives and thoughts of a team that decides to give them every dollar guaranteed. I have no idea what the Browns are going to look like this year."
It has been a bad few days for Deshaun Watson
In all honesty, it has been a bad 15 months for the former Houston Texans quarterback, but the last few days may have been some of the most damaging. First, his own attorney delivered a car crash radio interview, where he implied his client’s guilt while educating the listeners on the legality of a "happy ending".
Second, lawsuit number 24 was filed which provided some far more graphic accusations about Watson's apparent actions during these sessions. It also implies a consistent pattern of behaviour which paints a very dark picture.
Even if Watson were to settle all these civil cases tomorrow, it is unlikely anything would change in regards to the NFL investigation. So much information is now public knowledge, and the pressure is ramping up for the league.
It feels like fans and the general public at large are watching closely and expect decisive action. The way things are going, it may be better for that action to come sooner, rather than later.
We will have to wait and see what the NFL decides to do with the under-fire quarterback.