Cleveland Browns

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell explained the league's decision to appeal the six-game suspension given to Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson following allegations of sexual assault and misconduct during massage sessions.

"As you know, it's part of the CBA. Two parties had that right," Goodell said Tuesday, per Mark Maske of the Washington Post. "And that was something that we felt was our right to do, as well as the NFLPA's, and we decided it was the right thing to do."

Goodell also commented on the NFL's continued effort to push for a full-season suspension despite the original ruling by disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson.

"Because we've seen the evidence," he said. "She (Robinson) was very clear about the evidence. ... She reinforced the evidence that there [were] multiple violations here, and they were egregious and it was predatory behavior."

Watson faced 25 civil lawsuits with allegations related to his actions toward women during massage sessions between March 2020 and March 2021.

Attorney Tony Buzbee, who represented women in civil cases against Watson and the Houston Texans, the quarterback's former team, told ESPN's John Barr there was one active lawsuit remaining against the QB as of July 31. There were 23 settlements and one case was dropped because of privacy concerns.

In mid-July, the Texans reached confidential settlements with 30 women related to the allegations against Watson.

Two Texas grand juries declined to file criminal charges against Watson earlier this year.

Goodell could have heard the appeal himself but instead appointed former New Jersey attorney general Peter C. Harvey to handle the case. The league noted Harvey's ruling will be the "full, final and complete disposition of the dispute and will be binding" to all parties.

No timetable for Harvey's decision was announced, but the league expects an "expedited" appeal with the 2022 regular season set to begin in early September, per Jenny Vrentas and Ken Belson of the New York Times.

Watson was traded to the Browns in March and proceeded to sign a fully guaranteed five-year, $230 million contract extension.

The deal included a $690,000 base salary for 2022 to limit the financial impact of a potential season-long suspension. An "influential NFL person" told NBC Sports' Peter King on Monday the league and the other 31 teams aren't happy with the "rigged" contract. Though, GM Andrew Berry defended the contract in March, arguing that it's common practice for the Browns to structure their deals with a low base salary in the first year.

Watson is eligible to participate in training camp and preseason games while awaiting the appeal ruling.

Jacoby Brissett, who's the projected fill-in starter, Joshua Dobbs and Josh Rosen are the other quarterbacks on the Browns roster.

The Cleveland Browns signed two-time second-team All-Pro returner Jakeem Grant this offseason to bolster their special teams, but that plan appears to have been derailed.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Grant "is feared to have torn his Achilles" in practice Tuesday and will undergo further tests to confirm.

Grant suffered the injury to his left leg during one-on-one drills and was carted off the field.

Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski said in a statement that he feels "awful" for Grant:

The Browns signed Grant to a three-year deal in March. He began his career with the Miami Dolphins as a sixth-round pick in 2016, and Miami traded him to the Chicago Bears in October.

The 29-year-old earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2021 after averaging 11.9 yards per punt return and 23.4 yards per kick return in 15 games. In his career, Grant has four punt return touchdowns and two kickoff return touchdowns. He's also recorded 100 receptions for 1,140 yards and seven scores in 81 games.

At training camp, Grant expressed his hope to put his versatility on display and be used more than as a return specialist in 2022.

"I always preach that I’m a receiver first before a returner, and I’m going to continue to preach that message, and I’m going to continue to work on that until I get that opportunity to have that breakout season," he said.

The Browns have dealt with multiple injuries to their receiving corps during camp. Star wideout Amari Cooper missed time with a minor ankle injury, and David Bell and Anthony Schwartz had injury-related absences as well. If Grant does miss significant time, it's likely that Cleveland will deploy Demetric Felton as its returner this season.

The Browns play their first preseason game Friday against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Not only was the six-game suspension for Deshaun Watson considered too light of a punishment, many were also upset about how his contract with the Cleveland Browns helps him financially.

Watson has a $1.035 million base salary in 2022, and he will lose about $344,655 from missed game checks from a six-game suspension. His nearly $45 million signing bonus will not be affected by any suspension.

According to Peter King of NBC Sports, the rest of the league has taken issue with the contract structure.

"One influential NFL person told me on this trip that it doesn’t sit well with the league or 31 other owners that the Browns rigged the Watson contract so that his suspension would cause him to lose only a fraction of his 2022 compensation," King wrote.

The NFL announced it will appeal the suspension and seek a harsher penalty. According to ESPN's Jake Trotter, the league wants an indefinite suspension that lasts a minimum of one year to go with a fine.

Watson faced 24 civil lawsuits from women who accused him of sexual assault or sexual harassment. He has since agreed to settlements with all but one of the plaintiffs. Disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson wrote in her report the investigation confirmed Watson engaged in sexual assault.

The current suspension still only represents a minor loss financially for Watson, especially compared to his $230 million overall guaranteed contract with Cleveland.

The five-year deal features a $46 million base salary in each of the next four years, while no guarantees can be voided by future suspensions, per Spotrac.

It's not uncommon for teams to get creative with contracts to reduce the cap hit. Tampa Bay Buccaneers star Tom Brady is scheduled to make $30 million in 2022, although he has just a $1.12 million base salary and $11.9 million cap hit, per Spotrac.

On the other hand, the Browns have $47.2 million in cap space available, more than double any other team in the NFL.

It seems Watson's deal was less about helping the team and more about reducing the impact of a likely suspension.

The NFL Players Association included a list of past indiscretions by NFL owners in its reply to the league's appeal in Deshaun Watson's disciplinary case, according to Clarence E. Hill Jr. of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said that was common practice from the NFLPA.

"It is a standard players association comeback," he told Hill. "That is the drill. That is the drill to go around to say you didn't punish such and such. Anybody would know that every player case and every case that involves non-players in the NFL are dealing with dramatically different principle facts, which is all the difference in the world."

The NFL is currently appealing the six-game suspension independent disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson gave Watson after over two dozen women accused him of sexual assault or misconduct.

Two separate grand juries in Texas declined to indict Watson on criminal charges, and Watson has settled 23 of the 24 civil lawsuits.

NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has appointed former New Jersey Attorney General Peter C. Harvey to oversee the league's appeal. Per the Associated Press, the league is reportedly seeking "an indefinite suspension of at least one year and a fine around $8 million."

According to Hill, the NFLPA reportedly "included owner misconduct in the hearing with Robinson before the initial decision on discipline was made because of the league's threat to seek unprecedented punishment."

The NFLPA's brief reportedly included Jones in its list of ownership misconduct gone unpunished, alongside citing the investigations into the Washington Commanders' widespread workplace toxicity and misconduct under owner Daniel Snyder and the solicitation charges brought against New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft.

Washington was fined $10 million by the NFL in 2021 after it concluded its own investigation but remains under investigation by the House Oversight Committee, while charges were dropped against Kraft in 2020.

It is unclear what the NFLPA referenced in particular regarding Jones.

In 2014, a woman accused him of sexual assault in a lawsuit, though the case was dismissed.

In February, ESPN's Don Van Natta Jr. reported that the Cowboys reached a $2.4 million settlement with four cheerleaders who accused longtime senior vice president for public relations and communications Richard Dalrymple of voyeurism while they were undressing after a 2015 event.

And in March, Jones settled for nearly $3 million in a paternity suit brought against him by Alexandra Davis—who said that Jones was her biological father—and her mother, Cynthia Spencer Davis.

Jones, however, sees no merit in the NFLPA citing any of the aforementioned situations as a way of arguing a double standard in how discipline is doled out for players compared to owners, believing each situation should be judged individually.

"It would be like walking down to the courthouse and saying, 'You didn't give that guy that much' and not take into account what the action was or the circumstances behind it," he said. "That's called shooting volleys. That's just shooting stuff over your back. That's the way I look at it when I see something like that."

Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt was working out with the team in 11-on-11 drills Sunday after having his trade request denied, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

Hunt, 27, is heading into the final year of his two-year, $12 million deal and seeking a contract extension. With that apparently not forthcoming, Hunt requested a trade, though the Browns didn't accommodate that wish.

"I'm not going to get into really anything that has to do with our players and conversations," Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters when asked about Hunt's trade requests.

The veteran running back skipped team drills Friday and Saturday but made his return Sunday.

Stefanski added that he wouldn't comment on whether Hunt would be fined for missing those drills.

Hunt has been an important playmaker for the Browns since joining the team in 2019 and was excellent in 2020, rushing for 841 yards and six touchdowns while adding 38 receptions for another 304 yards and five scores.

Last season, calf and ankle injuries limited him to eight games, 560 yards from scrimmage and five touchdowns. But he's generally served as an excellent complement to starting running back Nick Chubb, providing a touch of lightning to Chubb's between-the-tackles thunder.

Hunt told reporters in June that he was hoping to receive an extension with the team:

"Right now, I'm just taking it day by day, man," he said at the time. "I'm gonna see what they want to do with me. I'm just taking it day by day. Hopefully, I can be here long-term. We'll see what God has in plan for me."

"I hope I get paid," he added later in June. "Whatever they decide, they know I'm going to come out there and give it my all and I'll do whatever I can to help the team win."

Hunt's approach to getting that extension seemingly changed over the past week, with reports of a trade request, though his participation Sunday suggests that perhaps he's backing away from that tactic.

Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt has reportedly asked for a trade, but the team has declined his request, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

The 27-year-old is heading into the final year of his contract and asked for an extension in the spring but was also denied. Now, the veteran is only participating in individual drills during training camp as he seeks a new home.

According to Cabot, the Browns will fine him for missing team drills.

Hunt appeared in eight games last season, making just one start, while totaling 386 rushing yards and five touchdowns. He added 22 catches for 174 receiving yards.

Though calf and ankle injuries cost him significant time in 2021, he still saw a smaller role behind Nick Chubb than he had in the past. In 2020, Hunt totaled 1,145 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns despite only starting five of 16 games.

Hunt remains effective when on the field. His 4.9 yards per carry last season would've been 10th in the NFL with enough attempts to qualify—and seventh among running backs. He still saw just 44 percent of offensive snaps when active, the lowest mark of his career, per Pro Football Reference.

The one-time Pro Bowler could clearly be a difference-maker as a featured back, which he showed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Hunt totaled 1,782 yards from scrimmage and 11 touchdowns as a rookie, following it up with 1,202 yards and 14 scores in just 11 games in 2018.

Hunt's career with Kansas City was derailed when a video emerged of him shoving and kicking a woman in 2018. He was released by the Chiefs before joining the Browns in 2019, later signing an extension to stay with the team.

Now, Hunt wants another chance to show he can be a lead running back before hitting free agency next offseason.

Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt will be fined by the franchise for skipping team drills during training camp, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.

Hunt has only competed in individual drills since reporting to training camp and will continue to do so until he receives a contract extension, per ESPN.

Josina Anderson of CBS Sports first reported that Hunt was holding out of team drills because he has yet to sign an extension and that he said to members of the Browns informally that he wanted to get paid or be traded.

However, a source told Anderson that they believed Hunt wanted to remain in Cleveland and just wanted to be paid what he believes he's worth.

Hunt signed a two-year, $12 million extension with the Browns in 2020 and is set to be paid $6.25 million in 2022, per Spotrac. It's unclear how much money he is asking for on a new deal.

The 27-year-old told the Browns earlier this year that he wanted an extension to finish his career in Cleveland, where he grew up, according to Cabot. However, he was unsure if the franchise had an interest in keeping him around.

"We'll see what they want to do with me," he said at the time, per Cabot. "I don't know what to think right now.'"

Hunt is entering his fourth year with the Browns. However, his only full season with the franchise came in 2020.

The Toledo product was suspended for the first eight games of the 2019 season for a violation of the NFL's personal conduct policy. When he returned, he rushed for 179 yards and two touchdowns in eight games, in addition to catching 37 passes for 285 yards and one score.

He was also limited to just eight games in 2021 due to calf and ankle ailments, recording 386 yards and five touchdowns on the ground and catching 22 passes for 174 yards.

When he played all 16 games during the 2020 season, he rushed for 841 yards and six touchdowns and caught 38 passes for 304 yards and five scores. It was arguably his best season since his rookie campaign in 2017.

Hunt began his career with the Kansas City Chiefs, which selected him in the third round of the 2017 draft. He rushed for a career-high 1,327 yards and eight touchdowns in his rookie season and caught 53 passes for 455 yards and three scores.

If the Browns and Hunt part ways, the franchise will continue to rely on Nick Chubb as its top running back. However, D'Ernest Johnson and Demetric Felton Jr. will be due for more snaps.

Cleveland Browns running back Kareem Hunt sat out of team drills in training camp for the second straight practice Saturday as he reportedly looks for a contract extension, per CBS Sports' Josina Anderson:

"Browns RB Kareem Hunt—currently seeking a contract extension—did not participate in team drills for the second consecutive practice on Saturday. Hunt told the team multiple times recently, his current plan is to participate in individuals drills only.

"Friday marked the first time since training camp started that Hunt didn't participate in the team portion of practice, per league sources. Their belief is Hunt’s partial ‘hold-in’ isn't health related. Hunt is subject to fines from the club. Hunt’s agent was at the Browns facility earlier this week per sources.

"I’ve been told several times Hunt periodically has said to members of the team informally—he wants to get paid or traded. However, one source emphasized they believe Hunt would like to stay in Cleveland, but just wants to be compensated for his worth."

As noted by Anderson, Hunt is still participating in individual drills, making this a partial holdout of sorts.

Hunt, who turned 27 on Saturday, has played five NFL seasons. He's coming off an injury-shortened 2021 campaign (calf, ankle) that saw him amass 560 total yards and five touchdowns in eight games.

Chris Easterling of the Akron Beacon-Journal confirmed Anderson's report.

Hunt is in the final year of a two-season, $12 million contract extension. His best year with the Browns occurred in 2020, when he amassed 1,145 total yards and 11 touchdowns.

He and Nick Chubb formed a dynamic backfield duo en route to helping guide Cleveland to its first playoff appearance since 2002 and first postseason victory since 1994.

Last year didn't go nearly as well for the Browns as injuries piled up on the offense. Ex-Cleveland (now Carolina Panthers) quarterback Baker Mayfield notably played through a torn labrum (among other ailments), Hunt was out for most of the season, and offensive linemen Jack Conklin and Chris Hubbard landed on injured reserve.

The Browns' backfield is back healthy and good to go, though, as it hopes to recapture the 2020 magic.

Hunt reportedly has an eye on his next deal in the meantime, but he could easily find himself in position for another lucrative multiyear contract if he regains his past form.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will continue to taking the majority of snaps with the first-team offense until a decision on the NFL's appeal of his six-game suspension is announced.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Friday's practice, head coach Kevin Stefanski said the team will "kind of await clarity on the situation" and "move ahead with what we're doing" before making any changes to the snap distribution among the quarterbacks.

Former federal judge Sue L. Robinson announced on Monday that Watson should receive a six-game suspension with no fines for violating the NFL's personal conduct policy after 24 women filed civil lawsuits accusing Watson of sexual assault or misconduct.

In her 16-page ruling, Robinson stated the NFL "has carried its burden to prove, by a preponderance of the evidence, that Mr. Watson engaged in sexual assault (as defined by the NFL) against the four therapists identified in the Report."

Despite acknowledging the NFL met the burden of proof as defined by the league that Watson engaged in sexual assault, Robinson noted her discipline recommendation was based on "looking at the record when compared to the relevant precedent, and looking forward to how this disciplinary determination might be used in the future."

The league announced its decision to appeal on Wednesday, per the rules in the collective bargaining agreement.

Per ESPN's Jeff Darlington, the NFL is seeking an indefinite suspension of at least one year and a fine for Watson.

The league announced former New Jersey attorney general Peter C. Harvey was appointed as Roger Goodell's designee to hear the appeal. The statement also notes that Harvey's written decision "will constitute the full, final and complete disposition of the dispute and will be binding" for all parties per the rules of the CBA.

As noted by NFL.com, the personal conduct policy states the appeal will be "processed on an expedited basis" and is based only on a review of the existing record, so neither side is allowed to present new evidence or testimony.

It's unclear at this point when Harvey will hear the appeal.

Watson has been at practice with the Browns every day since Robinson's initial ruling was announced. He was acquired by the team in March in a trade with the Houston Texans and signed a five-year, fully-guaranteed $230 million contract.

Despite facing a suspension, Watson is still eligible to practice with the team and play in preseason games.

The Browns will open preseason play on Aug. 12 against the Jacksonville Jaguars at TIAA Bank Field. They will kick off the regular season at Bank of America Field against the Carolina Panthers on Sept. 11.