"Don't be surprised if Deshaun is gone for the whole year" - Skip Bayless reacts to reports of Deshaun Watson missing out first season with Browns
Some thought that the Deshaun Watson controversy was over. Others expected the NFL to get involved. With no formal suspension handed down to Watson yet, either outcome is still on the cards.
However, one analyst has claimed that, according to reports, the quarterback may miss the entirety of 2022 due to allegations and lawsuits plaguing him since the end of the 2020 NFL season. Speaking about the reports, NFL analyst Skip Bayless said on ESPN's Undisputed:
"I'm going to reference two posts yesterday from Mike Florio and he seems to be pretty connected around the league. So, I'm not going to dismiss this as two grains of salt. I think there's some credibility here that needs to be addressed by us. His point is, don't be surprised if Deshaun is gone for the whole year."
"Baker Mayfield would have been the QB for the Browns if they didn't trade for Deshaun Watson.. the Browns are gonna have to eat some of that salary to move him" ~@RapSheet
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Bayless continued, saying the punishment was overkill:
"Well, it seems pretty harsh to me after he missed this year to be gone next year. Florio's point is Major League Baseball just banished Trevor Bauer for two full years. Their situations are extremely different. You can say they're in the same ballpark but extremely different."
Is it possible Baker Mayfield is the Cleveland Browns’ starting quarterback all of next season? Now on @undisputed
Deshaun Watson in recent years
In terms of on-field production, the quarterback hasn't played a down in the NFL since the final game of the 2020 football season. But despite posting a 4-12 record as a starter, he had the most productive season of his career. He threw for 4,823 yards, 33 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.
As soon as the season ended, his career seemed at risk after multiple lawsuits alleging sexual misconduct and sexual assault were launched at him. After missing the entirety of the 2021 football season, he had a breakthrough in the lawsuits when he was dismissed from criminal charges.
Watson was moved to the Cleveland Browns via trade soon after. With his arrival, Baker Mayfield was pushed out of the starting role but is still present on the roster. Many think that the team may need to lean on Watson for at least some of the 2022 NFL season, as he could miss time due to a suspension handed down by the NFL.
According to Spotrac, Watson is guaranteed $230 million this season, even if the team gets cold water due to the suspension and gets an urge to take action. Overall, Watson is expected to take home $46 million per season on his current deal that runs through 2026.