Cleveland Browns

Attorney Tony Buzbee said Monday that two more women will file lawsuits against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, bringing the total to 26:

Tony Buzbee tells me two more lawsuits will be filed against #Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson. Per Buzbee, one case comes as a referral from an Atlanta lawyer. The second saw the HBO Real Sports coverage and came forward. @WEWS

— Josh Voight (@JoshVoightNews) June 14, 2022

The firm has also been contacted by a woman who says she watched the @ealsportshbo episode and “was compelled to come forward.” That would be the 26th lawsuit against Watson, who has professed his innocence throughout.

— Jonathan Jones (@jjones9) June 14, 2022

"We have vetted other calls but haven't yet made decisions on any further filings and will continue to do our due diligence consistent with our ethical obligations," Buzbee said in an email to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. "With regard to any impending filings, we will allow the facts of the cases to speak for themselves."

Watson has been accused of sexual assault or misconduct in the lawsuits. Though two separate grand juries in Texas declined to pursue criminal charges against Watson, both the lawsuits and the NFL's investigation are ongoing.

Earlier in June, Buzbee added Watson's former team, the Houston Texans, to the list of defendants in the lawsuits.

"What has become clear is that the Houston Texans organization and their contracting 'massage therapy company' facilitated Deshaun Watson’s conduct," he wrote on June 8. "In many of these cases, the Texans provided the opportunity for this conduct to occur. We believe the Texans organization was well aware of Watson's issues, but failed to act. They knew or certainly should have known. The Houston Texans organization provided rooms for Watson at the high-end Houstonian hotel for his 'massages;' the Texans also provided massage tables and other support for Watson's proclivities—ostensibly to protect their 'asset.'"

Watson's attorneys have said that he had sexual activity with three of the many massage therapists he contracted and that it was consensual and separate from the paid massages he received.

Despite the ongoing lawsuits and the NFL not yet reaching a conclusion to its investigation, the Cleveland Browns traded three first-round picks and other draft assets to the Texans this offseason to acquire Watson.

They then signed him to a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million deal despite Watson still facing a potential suspension by the NFL.

Despite concerns about potential disciplinary action by the NFL, the Cleveland Browns reportedly aren't planning to void quarterback Deshaun Watson's contract nor the trade they made with the Houston Texans to acquire him.

According to Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot on Saturday, the Browns remain "all-in" on Watson and have not changed their view of him despite some recent developments.

When the Browns traded for Watson in March, he was already facing 22 civil lawsuits filed by women accusing him of sexual assault or misconduct during massage sessions. Since then, two new lawsuits have been filed against him, bringing the total to 24.

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Cleveland traded a king's ransom of three first-round picks, one third-round pick and two fourth-round picks to the Texans for Watson and signed him to a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract after a Houston grand jury declined to pursue criminal charges against him.

A second grand jury followed suit after the trade, but Watson is still facing 24 civil lawsuits, meaning a suspension by the NFL remains in play.

Along with the two additional civil suits, more information has come to light recently, including a report by Jenny Vrentas of the New York Times in which Watson's account of how many different massage therapists he saw during his time with the Texans was challenged.

Watson said he saw 40 different massage therapists over five seasons, but Vrentas reported that he actually saw 66 different masseuses over a 17-month period.

Vrentas also reported that the Texans aided Watson by providing him with a membership to an upscale hotel at which some of the massage appointments occurred and presented him with nondisclosure agreements for the massage therapists.

Voiding the trade with the Texans would likely be an impossible endeavor since some of the assets sent to Houston were 2022 NFL draft picks that were already used.

It isn't outside the realm of possibility that the Browns could void Watson's contract, though, as ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio reported in April that there is language in Watson's deal that could allow the Browns to void it if he is unable to fulfill his duties due to a suspension.

For now, the Browns are planning to move forward with Watson, who represents a huge upgrade over Baker Mayfield at the quarterback position from an on-field perspective.

Prior to missing the entire 2021 season following a trade request and the accusations in the lawsuits, Watson was named a Pro Bowler in three of his first four NFL campaigns.

The Browns are looking to bounce back from a disappointing 2021 season that saw them miss the playoffs after breaking an 18-year playoff drought the previous year, and Watson could be a significant addition if he is available.

A Houston police detective said as part of a pretrial deposition that she believes Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson committed crimes against multiple women from whom he received massages.

According to Brent Schrotenboer of USA Today, detective Kamesha Baker said she felt Watson "committed criminal indecent assault, sexual assault and prostitution in cases where money was exchanged and there was consensual sex."

Baker added that she believed she had enough evidence to pursue the charges and was unsure why two grand juries declined to indict Watson.

While Watson isn't facing any criminal charges currently, he is facing 24 civil lawsuits by women accusing him of sexual assault or misconduct during massage therapy sessions.

Per a report by Jenny Vrentas of the New York Times, Watson saw at least 66 different women for massage therapy sessions over a 17-month span, and his former team, the Houston Texans, helped accommodate some of those appointments.

Included among the 66 women he hired to perform massage services are all 24 who have filed lawsuits against him.

While testifying, Baker said there "appeared to be a pattern of an attempt [by Watson] to make the massage session sexual."

According to Schrotenboer, eight of the women who have filed suit against Watson also filed complaints with the Houston police department, while two others filed complaints, but have not sued Watson.

The 26-year-old Watson spent four seasons with the Texans and earned three Pro Bowl nods. He did not play at all last season following the allegations and an earlier trade request.

After the first grand jury declined to indict Watson on criminal charges in March, he was traded to the Browns for three first-round picks, a third-round pick and two fourth-round picks.

Watson subsequently signed a five-year, $230 million contract with the Browns that is fully guaranteed, setting an NFL record for the most guaranteed money in a single deal.

Cleveland Browns assistant wide receivers coach Callie Brownson said she was consulted before the team traded for quarterback Deshaun Watson, who is being sued by 24 women accusing him of sexual assault or misconduct.

"We had a lot of really healthy conversations and I appreciated that," she told Marla Ridenour of the Akron Beacon Journal on Friday. "I definitely felt like they cared about the opinions of the women in this organization. It was not neglected; it was not overlooked. They definitely spoke to those who would be involved in the organization to see what that meant."

In March, the Browns traded first-round picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024, fourth-rounders in 2022 and 2024 and a third-round pick in 2023 for Watson and a 2024 sixth-rounder. The deal came after a Texas grand jury declined to pursue criminal charges against Watson (a separate grand jury in the state later declined to pursue criminal charges as well).

Shortly after the trade, the Browns signed the quarterback to a five-year, fully guaranteed $230 million extension. It was a controversial move, given that the Browns fully guaranteed it despite the ongoing litigation against Watson and the structuring of the deal, and that his base salary in 2022 is just $1 million.

Important contract note for Deshaun Watson, who got a 5-year, $230M contract. His base salary for 2022 is $1M, which means if he’s suspended, it’ll come out of that base.

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 18, 2022

Deshaun Watson’s extension with the Browns:
Signing bonus: $44.965M
2022 salary: $1.035M
2023 salary: $46M
2024 salary: $46M
2025 salary: $46M
2026 salary: $46M

$230M. All fully guaranteed.

— Field Yates (@FieldYates) March 30, 2022

More details: Deshaun Watson gets a $45 million signing bonus. His base salary this season is $1 million, so any suspension -- if there is one -- would cost him juts $55,555 per game lost. https://t.co/6gDhRXksBq

— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 18, 2022

Some critics saw that structuring as a way for the team to help financially shield him in the event he was suspended by the league this season, a possibility as the NFL's own investigation into Watson continues.

But despite those optics, the 32-year-old Brownson—who previously worked as the team's chief of staff—is comfortable with what she described as organization's priority to support diversity and inclusivity.

"It's one thing to talk the talk as it pertains to inclusion and diversity, not just hiring, but growing within," she said. "But for me to work for an organization that walks the walk with it and is invested in it and me, it’s incredible. It makes me happy that I made the decision to come here and be here with [head coach Kevin Stefanski]. He's a man of his word in that capacity from a development standpoint."

Stefanski didn't fire Brownson in 2021 after she was arrested and pleaded guilty to operating a vehicle under the influence, though she was suspended by the team.

An "overwhelming majority" of NFL executives reportedly believe quarterback Baker Mayfield has played his last down for the Cleveland Browns.

There have been questions about whether Mayfield could return to the starting role if Deshaun Watson, who is the subject of 24 civil lawsuits from women accusing him of sexual assault or misconduct during massage sessions, is suspended by the league. However, ESPN's Dan Graziano reported Friday it's unlikely a reconciliation is on the horizon.

"He's done with them, and they're done with him," a source told Graziano. "That was true once he found out they were trying to trade for Deshaun."

While the NFL execs expressed their belief there's "no chance" Mayfield plays for the Browns again, questions remain about how the situation will play out.

Cleveland painted itself into a corner by rebuilding its quarterback room before finding the 2018 No. 1 overall pick a new home.

Along with the trade for Watson, who the team proceeded to give a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract despite the allegations against him, the front office also signed Jacoby Brissett and Joshua Dobbs to handle the backup roles.

It left the Browns with no leverage in trade talks and, with a limited number of potential suitors still seeking a quarterback this offseason, they'll likely have to eat a significant portion of his $18.9 million base salary for 2022 in order to make a deal.

The Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks are the two teams that could still use more competition for the No. 1 spot on their QB depth chart.

Seattle was chosen as the most likely destination for Mayfield in a straw poll conducted by Graziano, but Hawks head coach Pete Carroll previously downplayed the idea of a trade.

"So we're looking. I don't see us making a trade for anybody at all. I don't see that happening," Carroll said in May. "But we're certainly going to continue to be open to chances to help our club, and meanwhile we're just going to be battling and competing our tails off."

Geno Smith, Drew Lock and Jacob Eason are slated for the Seahawks' quarterback competition. Mayfield would immediately take over as the favorite in that race.

For now, the 27-year-old Texas native remains a member of the Browns and was excused from mandatory minicamp by the franchise while the situation continues to play out.

While prevailing wisdom is correct to suggest Mayfield is unlikely to play for Cleveland this season, it's impossible to rule it out completely given the high number of variables involved.

After months of trade rumors and speculation, Jimmy Garoppolo and Baker Mayfield could both end up becoming free agents before the start of the season.

Per ESPN's Dan Graziano, a straw poll of various NFL executives, coaches and agents found a majority of them believe Garoppolo and Mayfield will be released by their respective teams.

Garoppolo's situation is more complicated than Mayfield's right now because of his injury status. The 30-year-old is still recovering from shoulder surgery he had in March.

San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters on Tuesday that Garoppolo, who was excused from the team's mandatory minicamp this week, is on target to be medically cleared in July.

There hasn't been any trade speculation around Garoppolo in months. Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer reported in May that both Garoppolo and the 49ers "are willing to be flexible" regarding his contract to help facilitate a deal.

"And that means, if a team’s out there wanting to renegotiate the final year of his contract, which has $24.8 million on it (and is not guaranteed), as part of a trade, the opportunity’s there to do it, and other teams know it," Breer wrote.

Mayfield also had surgery in January to repair a torn labrum. His estimated recovery time was four to six months, with the Cleveland Browns expecting him to be fully recovered by the start of training camp.

The Browns announced on Wednesday that Mayfield was excused from mandatory minicamp next week, calling it a "mutual decision and best for both parties."

Mayfield told ESPN's Adam Schefter on March 17 he formally requested a trade from the Browns. At the time, the team wasn't prepared to grant his request.

Cleveland's subsequent acquisition of Deshaun Watson in a trade with the Houston Texans and signing Jacoby Brissett to be the backup has certainly altered the organization's approach with Mayfield.

Per ESPN's Jake Trotter, the Browns and Carolina Panthers discussed a Mayfield trade during Day 2 of the NFL draft. A deal "never got close" because the Browns balked at Carolina's request that they pick up the majority of Mayfield's $18.9 million salary for 2022.

The Panthers wound up trading up in the third round to select Mississippi quarterback Matt Corral. They also have Sam Darnold on the roster.

According to Graziano, the Panthers were the most popular destination for Garoppolo among the NFL people he spoke to.

The Seattle Seahawks, who have frequently been linked to Mayfield throughout the offseason, were the most popular landing spot for the former No. 1 overall pick if he is released.

Training camp is the next major event on the NFL calendar in late July. Garoppolo and Mayfield should expect a resolution to their situations around that point.

It's not that often that as the calendar turns to June that a pair of experienced veteran quarterbacks who have each started at least 45 games and won a playoff game are both stuck in NFL limbo.

But this hasn't been a typical offseason—especially at the quarterback position.

Mandatory minicamps are firing up across the league, but you won't see Jimmy Gaproppolo of the San Francisco 49ers or Baker Mayfield of the Cleveland Browns on the field when they do. Both quarterbacks have been excused from workouts, with ESPN's Nick Wagoner reporting that Garoppolo will sit while Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk wrote that Mayfield will sit out. Odds are good that neither quarterback will ever take a snap again for their respective teams.

It's a remarkable fall from grace for both quarterbacks. Garoppolo was the starter under center for the 49ers in Super Bowl LIV and led San Francisco to the NFC Championship Game last season. Mayfield was the first overall pick in 2018 and guided the Browns to the franchise's first postseason victory in well over two decades in 2020.

There's been plenty written about how the two quarterbacks got to this unfortunate position. But at this point, the more pressing question is where they go from here.

What is the best-case scenario is for their futures moving forward? What's the worst? And which quarterback is the better investment?

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Baker Mayfield

What a difference a year makes.

One year ago at this time. Mayfield was a star in the making. The Browns had won 11 games and trounced the Steelers in the Wild Card round. Mayfield had thrown for over 3,500 yards with 26 touchdowns and just eight interceptions. A massive extension seemed a foregone conclusion. The future was now.

But the Browns didn't extend Mayfield. And then the bottom fell out. Mayfield played most of the season with a torn labrum in his left shoulder, and his production plummeted. Mayfield's numbers dropped across the board. His turnovers went up. And the Browns missed the playoffs.

Once the season ended, things went from bad to worse. Cleveland's courtship of Deshaun Watson didn't sit well with Mayfield, so much so that he penned a goodbye letter to fans of the team. That led an unnamed source to tell ESPN's Chris Mortensen (per Dan Lyons of Sports Illustrated) that the Browns wanted an "adult" at the position. The team finally did land Watson, but even if they hadn't, the relationship appeared to be irretrievably fractured.

There are several reasons why the Browns haven't been able to find a trade partner for Mayfield. The most obvious is that in two of Mayfield's four seasons, the 27-year-old hasn't played especially well. Yes, injuries played a part in last year's struggles. But Mayfield also made some bafflingly poor decisions with the football.

Then there's the matter of Mayfield's contract. Entering the final year of his rookie deal, he carries a 2022 salary of $18.9 million. That's a lot of money to play a player who is coming off a rough season and is one game under .500 as a starter with a career passer rating under 90. Mayfield also didn't do himself any favors with his public grousing about the pursuit of Watson—grousing that only served to reinforce the assertion in some circles that Mayfield is immature.

There's also the matter of Cleveland's lack of leverage in negotiations. The rest of the league knows that Mayfield is a lame duck quarterback who doesn't want to be on a team that doesn't want him. Per Jonathan Alexander of the Charlotte Observer, the Panthers discussed acquiring Mayfield back in April—but only if Cleveland paid the majority of his salary.

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Best Case

The best-case outcome for Mayfield is an exceedingly unlikely one. With Watson staring at a potentially lengthy personal conduct suspension as the result of two dozen civil suits by women alleging sexual assault or misconduct during massage therapy sessions, the Browns could be headed into the season with only journeyman Jacoby Brissett and Joshua Dobbs under center. Say what you will about Mayfield, but he's an upgrade over them.

If both sides were willing to put aside hard feelings and work together, the Browns could get a quarterback to steer the team through Watson's suspension. Mayfield would get the best opportunity to rehab his stock before hitting free agency.

But that's not going to happen.

Outside that fairy tale, Mayfield's best chance at turning his career around in 2022 likely depends on a team suffering an injury under center, a la Teddy Bridgewater in Minnesota back in 2016. The Panthers and Seattle Seahawks don't appear to be interested in him, and the rest of the league is settled at quarterback, at least in the short term.

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Worst Case

Unfortunately, the worst case for Mayfield is considerably more likely than the best. The Browns have reportedly indicated that they have no intention of releasing him, which is understandable—with his 2022 salary guaranteed, the Browns would essentially be paying Mayfield to play somewhere else.

With no real trade market for his services, it's possible that Mayfield could remain in limbo for the entire season. He'd hit free agency after sitting out an entire year following arguably the worst season of his professional career. That would all but certainly force him to take a modest, short-term deal in 2023—most likely as a backup.

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Jimmy Garoppolo

Like Baker Mayfield, Jimmy Garoppolo found himself on the wrong end of his team looking to upgrade at the NFL's most important position. But that's just about the only similarity between the two situations.

The Niners mortgaged their future a year ago to draft Garoppolo's replacement, trading three first-round picks and a third-rounder for the right to move up to No. 3 overall and select Trey Lance. But rather than pen a goodbye missive to fans, Garoppolo got to work. In 15 starts, Garoppolo completed 68.3 percent of his passes for 3,810 yards and 20 touchdowns while taking the team within a game of their second Super Bowl in three years.

Garoppolo had shoulder surgery back in March, and as Legwold reported, head coach Kyle Shanahan indicated that Garoppolo's rehab is why he won't be at minicamp—and also why he's still on the roster.

"Nothing's changed since the surgery, we knew where we were at before that, and then he got the surgery, so everything went on hold," Shanahan said. "I expect him at some time, most likely to be traded, but who knows. It's not a guarantee and it's been exactly on hold when that happened. And when he is healthy, we'll see what happens."

The 30-year-old Garoppolo isn't a worldbeater under center—he has just two 3,000-yard seasons in eight years in the league, he's tossed double-digit interceptions in two of the last three years and he has played in more than six games only twice. But he has completed over 67 percent of his passes for his career, has a career passer rating of 98.9 and most importantly he wins games—31 of his 45 starts in San Francisco.

Given Garoppolo's durability concerns, it's not surprising that the trade market for his services has been cool. Teams want at least some semblance of assurance that he's healthy before investing draft capital and taking on Garoppolo's $24.2 million base salary.

The problem for both player and team is that while Garoppolo has been rehabbing his shoulder, the market for his services has dried up significantly.

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Best Case

The best case for Garoppolo also isn't especially likely, although it's more likely than Mayfield's

As was already mentioned, Shanahan said that it's not guaranteed the 49ers would deal Garoppolo. And if that's the case, then the best thing that could happen for Garoppolo is staying put.

There is also no guarantee that Lance is ready to take the reins of the offense for a team that fashions itself a Super Bowl contender. And if Lance isn't ready and/or San Francisco can't get the deal they desire, Garoppolo's best chances of success lie with the team where he's familiar with the offense and has a higher winning percentage as the starter than Aaron Rodgers does in Green Bay.

Then, after one more season as San Francisco's starting quarterback, Garoppolo could hit free agency in 2023 with a much better chance of landing one more sizable contract.

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Worst Case

There really isn't necessarily a "worst case" with Garoppolo—at least not one that's nearly as bad as Mayfield's.

With that said, there are situations that don't exactly set Garoppolo up for success—and they are with two of the more likely landing spots for him.

The Carolina Panthers and Seattle Seahawks each have some firepower on offense, whether it's Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf in Seattle or D.J. Moore and Christian McCaffrey in Charlotte. There's also no disputing that Garoppolo would be an upgrade over the Drew Lock/Geno Smith morass in the Emerald City and Sam Darnold in Carolina.

But while Garoppolo would be better, he's not the kind of quarterback who can single-handedly lift up a franchise—and the Seahawks and Panthers are deeply flawed teams. Carolina and Seattle won just two more games combined than San Francisco in 2021.

Garoppolo's next contract will depend largely on his success (or lack thereof) in 2022. Leading a bad team isn't going to help his chances.

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Who's 'The Guy?'

This is a question without a blanket answer. Which signal-caller is the better investment depends largely on the situation a team finds itself in.

For a rebuilding team like the Seahawks, Panthers or New York Giants, Mayfield is the better call. It's not a matter of a lower salary, although that's certainly a consideration. In a rebuild, the future is nearly as important as the present. And not only is Mayfield several years younger than Garoppolo, but if he can recapture his 2020 form, he has the higher ceiling.

However, as a temporary fill-in for an injured starter, a bridge to a rookie or even a stand-in during a potential Watson suspension, Garoppolo is the way to go. He's a more proven, consistent option than Mayfield. He may have a lower ceiling, but he has a higher floor. And as he showed last year in San Francisco, he's a pro's pro. Also, if the Niners do wind up releasing Garoppolo outright, he could be available at a reasonable cost cap-wise.

If it's safety and stability your team seeks, Garoppolo is your man. But if you're willing to gamble a little to chase potential upside, take Mayfield...

And hope he wakes up feeling dangerous.

It is "unlikely" the Cleveland Browns will sign free-agent wideout Odell Beckham Jr., Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reported Wednesday.

No surprise there, as Beckham's stint with Cleveland ended when he was released in November after a falling-out with quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Beckham, a three-time Pro Bowler, never clicked with Mayfield, catching just 114 passes for 1,586 yards and seven touchdowns in 29 games across three seasons.

To put those numbers in perspective, Beckham caught 96 passes for 1,450 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2015, his best season, and averaged 1,095 yards per season in his five years with the New York Giants, which included a four-game campaign in 2017.

Shortly after his release from the Browns, Beckham signed with the Los Angeles Rams. He tore his ACL in the Super Bowl, though not before registering 21 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns in four postseason games, including a score in the Super Bowl.

While the Rams have Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson II and Van Jefferson at wideout, Beckham established a rapport with Matthew Stafford, and a return to Los Angeles seems to be a possibility.

Beckham even crashed Sean McVay's wedding over the weekend:

OBJ really crashed Sean McVay's wedding 😂

(via @IAMATHLETEpod) pic.twitter.com/OKcyBFJRnN

— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) June 7, 2022

"'You crashed my wedding, you re-sign with the Rams then, man,'" McVay said he told Beckham.

It wasn't the first time McVay has stumped for Beckham.

"I really want Odell back on our team," he said on The Rich Eisen Show (h/t Coral Smith of NFL.com) in May. "He's a guy that, in a short amount of time, we were able to develop a really special relationship. I thought he brought a great spark to our team. I thought he played really well. He's a great teammate. Without a doubt, want to get Odell back here."

Whether that happens remains to be seen, but it feels far more likely than a reunion between Beckham and the Browns.