Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns expect a lot of boos on the road this season.

Guard Joel Bitonio discussed the crowd's reaction to the Browns and quarterback Deshaun Watson from Friday's road game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

"You know, I think once Deshaun came out of the game we got booed less, but you go to a road game they boo you anyway, so you know what I mean?" Bitonio told reporters Sunday. "So we'll see how it goes. I'm sure, it seems like more than ever, Cleveland against the world, so we'll be ready for it."

Watson is eligible to play in preseason games, but he has been suspended by the NFL for six games after violating the league's personal conduct policy. He was accused of sexual assault or sexual misconduct by 25 women who filed civil lawsuits against him (though one lawsuit was later dropped due to privacy concerns).

All but one of those civil lawsuits have since been settled, and two grand juries have declined to indict Watson on criminal charges related to the accusations.

The NFL has appealed to seek a longer suspension, while Watson is willing to accept a settlement of an eight-game suspension and a $5 million fine, per Rob Maaddi and Tom Withers of the Associated Press.

When Watson is on the field, the Browns can expect an extra dose of vitriol from opposing fans.

As Bitonio indicated, the team is prepared for whatever comes its way this season.

The first-team All-Pro lineman is heading into his ninth NFL year and has seen a lot during his tenure. The 2017 team finished 0-16, while the 2020 squad won a playoff game behind Baker Mayfield.

Cleveland Browns center Nick Harris is expected to need season-ending knee surgery after suffering an injury in Friday's 24-13 preseason win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Saturday.

"Nick is certainly a guy who has worked so hard this offseason, so we're really hoping that it's not a season-long thing because the kid has worked so hard," Stefanski said.

Harris was carted off after the injury on just the second play of the game. Ethan Pocic replaced him.

"Ethan went in there and did a really nice job," Stefanski said. "He's been with us since April. We went out and got him for a reason, and we're excited about what he did last night."

Harris had made an impression with a tremendous training camp. Offensive line coach Bill Callahan praised the California native earlier this week, saying he had made strides in his development:

"All the college players have a limited base, and then when they get here, they're blown away at how much they have to do and how much goes on. To see him grow, not only physically—because he's done a great job in the offseason in the weight room—but mentally picking up the system, learning how to communicate calls, hitting players in the right spots.

"What's impressive is his dialogue off the field and the questions that he asks. They're excellent. They're really thought out and meaningful, and they're applicable. I would say his development mentally has really grown more so than his physical development."

The Browns selected Harris in the fifth round of the 2020 draft out of Washington. He appeared in 23 games over the last two seasons, making two starts.

Harris was set to be Cleveland's starting center this year, replacing veteran JC Tretter, who was released by the Browns in March in a move that saved the franchise $8.2 million against the salary cap.

With Harris sidelined, the Browns will likely turn to Pocic. The 27-year-old began his career with the Seattle Seahawks, who selected him in the second round of the 2017 draft.

The Browns could also turn to Dawson Deaton and Brock Hoffman.

Cleveland opens the 2022 campaign Sept. 11 at the Carolina Panthers.

Cleveland Browns center Nick Harris was carted off during the first quarter of Thursday's preseason game against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a knee injury, per NFL Network's James Palmer.

Harris suffered the injury on the second play of the game. The severity of it is unclear, but he was ruled out for the remainder of the game, per WEWS reporter Camryn Justice.

Harris was selected by the Browns in the fifth round of the 2020 NFL draft.

The 23-year-old appeared in 23 games over the last two seasons, but made just two starts. He was in line to be Cleveland's new starting center this year, his third season, replacing veteran J.C. Tretter, who was released in March.

Some of Harris' teammates, including Joel Bitonio, expressed confidence that he could get the job done in 2022 while speaking with reporters last month:

"Obviously JC was very experienced and had seen pretty much anything you can throw at him," Bitonio said. "But Nick’s working his way there and he’s trying to learn the playbook as good as possible and he’s gotten tons of reps. So, we’re looking forward to seeing what he can do out there."

If Harris misses any time this season, the Browns will likely turn to Ethan Pocic at center.

The Browns signed Pocic, a 2017 second-round pick by the Seattle Seahawks, this offseason, and he brings five years of experience, including 40 starts in 57 appearances.

Cleveland also has 2021 seventh-round pick Dawson Deaton and Brock Hoffman available. Deaton is listed as a guard, but he played center, among other positions, while in college at Texas Tech.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has publicly addressed the women who accused him of sexual misconduct, telling Aditi Kinkhabwala of CBS Sports on Friday he is "truly sorry to all the women that I’ve impacted in this situation."

Watson started for the Browns against the Jacksonville Jaguars on Friday. It marked his first appearance in an NFL game since Jan. 3, 2021, when he was still with the Houston Texans.

Former federal judge Sue L. Robinson ruled Aug. 1 that Watson should be suspended for the first six games of the regular season.

In the ruling, Robinson wrote that one of the "aggravating factors" in her decision stemmed from Watson's "lack of expressed remorse" related to the allegations.

The NFL argued for an indefinite suspension of at least one year and built its case around four of Watson's accusers. The league spoke with 12 women who accused Watson of sexual misconduct.

Twenty-five women filed civil lawsuits against Watson, though one of them was dropped in April 2021. Twenty-three of the remaining 24 civil cases have been settled. It's unclear at this point if the lone remaining civil lawsuit will be settled.

In arriving at her decision, Robinson noted Watson's "pattern of conduct is more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL."

Per the rules of the personal conduct policy, the NFL and NFL Players Association had three days to appeal Robinson's ruling. The league officially filed its appeal Aug. 3, with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell naming former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey as the official designee to rule on the appeal.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio noted the NFL and Watson could still reach an agreement on a potential suspension settlement before Harvey makes a ruling on the appeal.

The Browns acquired Watson from the Texans in March. They signed him to a five-year, fully-guaranteed $230 million contract.

While the NFL and Cleveland Browns continue to wait for a ruling on the appeal of Deshaun Watson's six-game suspension, the possibility of a settlement between the league and the veteran quarterback isn't out of the question.

Per Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio, it's "not out of the question" that Watson and the NFL could come to terms on a settlement agreement.

Disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson announced on Aug. 1 a six-game suspension for Watson for violating the league's personal conduct policy.

The NFL appealed the suspension two days later, and commissioner Roger Goodell appointed former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey as his designee to rule on the appeal.

In her 16-page report announcing the suspension, Robinson wrote the NFL successfully "carried its burden to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Mr. Watson violated the (personal-conduct) policy."

She also noted that Watson engaged in "sexual assault; conduct that poses a genuine danger to the safety and well-being of another person; and conduct that undermines or puts at risk the integrity of the NFL."

In determining the six-game suspension without a fine, Robinson wrote she looked "at the record when compared to the relevant precedent" set by the NFL in the past.

Watson has been accused of sexual assault or misconduct by 30 different women. Twenty-five women filed civil lawsuits against him—23 of those were settled in recent weeks and one was dropped early on in the process. The Houston Texans settled with 30 women who filed or intended to file lawsuits against the team for enabling Watson's alleged behavior.

In the wake of Robinson's decision, ESPN's Jeff Darlington reported on the Aug. 2 episode of Get Up (starts at 2:00 mark) that Watson's camp would file a lawsuit against the NFL "to question the authority of [commissioner Roger] Goodell to [appeal]."

It's unclear how successful such a lawsuit would be because, under terms of the new personal conduct policy agreed upon by the league and NFL Players Association in the 2020 collective bargaining agreement, either side has the right to appeal a decision made by the independent disciplinary officer, who is jointly appointed by the league and NFLPA.

The CBA states that Goodell or a designee appointed by the commissioner will review the appeal and make a final ruling.

Prior to Robinson's ruling, ESPN's Dan Graziano reported Watson and the NFL had settlement talks with neither side feeling like they were close to an agreement.

According to Graziano, Watson's side indicated the most it would accept was a six-to-eight game ban. The NFL sought a suspension of 12 games and a "heavy fine" in the $8 million range.

Watson is scheduled to make his Browns debut on Friday night in the preseason opener. Cleveland will take on the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field at 7 p.m. ET.

Cleveland Browns star Deshaun Watson "would accept" a suspension of eight games and a $5 million fine from the NFL, according to the Associated Press' Rob Maaddi and Tom Withers.

Disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson initially handed down a six-game ban to Watson for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy. The league appealed the ruling and is attempting to levy a longer punishment.

The AP report represents a change in tone from Watson's side. Dianna Russini of ESPN reported Aug. 3 that his representatives were "unhappy" with the six-game suspension and "continue to share that Watson did not do anything wrong."

Adding two more games would also be a significant compromise from the NFL. ESPN's Jake Trotter and CBS Sports' Jonathan Jones both reported the league in its appeal is seeking to suspend the three-time Pro Bowler for at least one year.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell justified the position when speaking with reporters Tuesday.

"We've seen the evidence, she was very clear about the evidence, she reinforced the evidence," he said. "There were multiple violations that were egregious, and it was predatory behavior."

Twenty-five women filed civil lawsuits against Watson beginning in March 2021 alleging they were the victims of sexual misconduct, with one case eventually being dropped due to privacy concerns. All but one have been settled.

While two grand juries declined to indict Watson on criminal charges, he remained subject to an NFL investigation.

In her report upon concluding the investigation, Robinson wrote that "Mr. Watson's pattern of conduct is more egregious than any before reviewed by the NFL." She also instructed him to only schedule massage therapy sessions with team-approved therapists for the remainder of his career.

Because she classified Watson's infractions as "non-violent sexual conduct," however, Robinson determined six games was an appropriate suspension based on past precedent.

Former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey is overseeing the NFL's appeal. Maaddi and Withers noted Harvey's final decision will be binding but could be subject to another appeal by the NFL Players Association in federal court.

Beyond signing Jacoby Brissett, the Browns have so far avoided making any clear contingency plans in preparation for Watson missing most or all of the 2022 season. However, Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot reported Thursday the team will weigh up a move for San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo if Watson's suspension is increased.

Jimmy Garoppolo's future could lie in Cleveland.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, the Browns "will consider acquiring Garoppolo if Deshaun Watson’s six-game suspension significantly increases upon appeal."

Watson was suspended six games by independent disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson after over two dozen women accused him of sexual assault or misconduct, though the NFL is appealing the ruling and seeking at least a yearlong suspension, per Cabot.

Garoppolo, 30, has spent the last five years with the San Francisco 49ers, leading the team to a 31-14 record in his starts, two playoff berths and a trip to the Super Bowl in the 2019 season, a 31-20 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

In the 2021 campaign, Jimmy G threw for 3,810 yards, 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, completing 68.3 percent of his passes.

The knock against Garoppolo has always been that he's a solid game manager but struggles to make the tough throws that elite options at the position can handle. The 49ers decided to roll the dice on a young, potential upgrade ahead of the 2021 season, trading the No. 12 pick, a 2022 third-round compensatory pick and first-rounders in 2022 and 2023 for the Miami Dolphins' No. 3 pick.

The team then selected quarterback Trey Lance and gave him a season to develop behind Garoppolo as the team's backup. Heading into the 2022 season, however, the Niners have committed to Lance as the starter.

As a result, Garoppolo became available, though offseason shoulder surgery has likely stopped teams from trading for him.

But if Watson ends up being suspended for the entire season, Jimmy G would be an interesting backup option for a Browns team that traded Baker Mayfield to the Carolina Panthers last month.

The team's top option if Watson is unavailable is Jacoby Brissett. Garoppolo would be an upgrade, so his future might rest on the status of the NFL's appeal in the Watson disciplinary case.

Despite a ruling that he should be suspended for the first six games of the 2022 regular season, Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will play in the team's first preseason game Friday.

The Browns announced Wednesday that Watson is scheduled to start against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

If Watson plays Friday, it will be his first game action since the end of the 2020 season. The 26-year-old sat out the entire 2021 season while facing allegations of sexual assault or misconduct in civil lawsuits filed by 25 women. The alleged behavior occurred during massage sessions while Watson played for the Houston Texans.

One of the lawsuits was dropped because the plaintiff had privacy concerns. In March, two grand juries in Texas declined to indict him on criminal charges. Watson has since reached settlements on 23 of the remaining 24 lawsuits.

Former federal judge Sue L. Robinson made the decision on Watson's suspension, saying she relied on precedent and stating his actions did not "fall into the category of violent conduct that would require the minimum six-game suspension." The NFL has appealed the decision, and commissioner Roger Goodell said Tuesday that the league believes at least a one-year suspension is warranted.

"We've seen the evidence, she was very clear about the evidence, she reinforced the evidence," Goodell said. "There were multiple violations that were egregious, and it was predatory behavior."

Former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey has been appointed to oversee the NFL's appeal, but Goodell said Tuesday he's unsure when a ruling will come.

Jakeem Grant's 2022 season appears to be over.

The Cleveland Browns announced on Wednesday that the wide receiver was placed on injured reserve with an Achilles injury. ESPN's Jake Trotter reported that it was a torn Achilles, suffered during Tuesday's practice.

"I really feel awful for Jakeem," Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters Tuesday. "We've witnessed how hard the young man has worked since he got to our team. We all realize injuries are a part of our game but that doesn't make it any easier to accept especially for someone that works as hard and carries himself like Jakeem."

The Browns signed Grant to a three-year, $10 million deal in the offseason to handle return duties, though by all accounts he was having a very strong camp as a wide receiver as well.

"I always preach that I'm a receiver first before a returner," Grant told reporters on Sunday. "I'm going to continue to preach that message. I'm going to continue to work on that until I get that opportunity to have that breakout season."

The Browns have been particularly hard hit with injury at the wideout position this summer. David Bell (foot), Anthony Schwartz (knee) and Javon Wims (illness) have all missed a week of practice, while rookie Michael Woods II (hamstring) remains out of action and Isaiah Weston (knee) has also been placed on IR.

Demetric Felton will now likely handle return duties for Cleveland, though running back D'Ernest Johnson or wide receivers Donovan Peoples-Jones and Schwartz are also potential options.