Deshaun Watson ends up in Cleveland

[theguru]

1 minute ago, PurplePride92 said:

Two more accusers added to the number of 22 making it 24 now.  The NY Times article claiming that the Texans enabled his behavior.  Some of the accusers stories are cringe inducing.  66 different massage therapists in a 17 month period.  
 

The longer this goes on I don’t see how he plays this season. Tremendous distraction.  
 

His contract is insane.  The Browns……..lol.  

I guess I have a lot of thoughts but the worst one is about the Browns, what were they thinking...

[PurplePride92]

1 minute ago, theguru said:

I guess I have a lot of thoughts but the worst one is about the Browns, what were they thinking...

No clue at all. I’m still shocked that he found a team as quickly as he did.  Nevermind the guaranteed money.  That just makes it worse.  Lol. 

[MJAlltheWay24]

I heard something really interesting on the radio today, his contract for this first year was structured to be worth only $1 million for the season, almost like they knew he was going to be suspended quite a bit, if not for all the season.  With his salary that low this first year, he's really not going to lose money when he's suspended without pay.  So he got his money in signing bonuses and back loaded in later years.

At least I think that's what they were saying.  Whomever it was that was saying this, even said, "but know one is talking about how his deal was strategically structured, almost like he wasn't expected to play at all this year."

[CincySportsFan]

27 minutes ago, MJAlltheWay24 said:

I heard something really interesting on the radio today, his contract for this first year was structured to be worth only $1 million for the season, almost like they knew he was going to be suspended quite a bit, if not for all the season.  With his salary that low this first year, he's really not going to lose money when he's suspended without pay.  So he got his money in signing bonuses and back loaded in later years.

At least I think that's what they were saying.  Whomever it was that was saying this, even said, "but know one is talking about how his deal was strategically structured, almost like he wasn't expected to play at all this year."

Yeah, that's been out since the contract info was released.  At first, I thought that maybe...just maybe...they were preparing for the legal aspects of the suits to carry over into the season.  But now, my cynical mind has fully gone over to the "he was fully expecting to miss the season - BECAUSE HE KNEW HE WAS GUILTY - due to the NFL suspending him.  No doubt in my mind.  Dude has a problem.

[TheDeuce]

18 hours ago, PurplePride92 said:

His contract is insane.  The Browns……..lol.  

That contract is heading straight for "worst decision in NFL history" type of situation. 

Isn't a big chunk of it guaranteed too? Yikes. Browns gonna Brown. 

[TheDeuce]

17 hours ago, CincySportsFan said:

Yeah, that's been out since the contract info was released.  At first, I thought that maybe...just maybe...they were preparing for the legal aspects of the suits to carry over into the season.  But now, my cynical mind has fully gone over to the "he was fully expecting to miss the season - BECAUSE HE KNEW HE WAS GUILTY - due to the NFL suspending him.  No doubt in my mind.  Dude has a problem.

Let's pretend, for arguments sake, he is completely innocent... 

If a well known NFL QB privately hits up 70+ "massage therapists" on IG, even goes to some of their houses, he is BEGGING to be accused of something. Like, it's just an incredibly stupid situation to put yourself in to begin with, even before you are a gigantic sleaze ball. 

[bugatti]

1 hour ago, TheDeuce said:

Let's pretend, for arguments sake, he is completely innocent... 

If a well known NFL QB privately hits up 70+ "massage therapists" on IG, even goes to some of their houses, he is BEGGING to be accused of something. Like, it's just an incredibly stupid situation to put yourself in to begin with, even before you are a gigantic sleaze ball. 

When I'm hiring a NFL QB to run my franchise, I want someone that is somewhat of a sound decision maker in their personal lives. Going to IG to hire 70 massage therapists (that we know of) is about as dumb as it gets, given his stature.

[theguru]

1 hour ago, TheDeuce said:

Let's pretend, for arguments sake, he is completely innocent... 

If a well known NFL QB privately hits up 70+ "massage therapists" on IG, even goes to some of their houses, he is BEGGING to be accused of something. Like, it's just an incredibly stupid situation to put yourself in to begin with, even before you are a gigantic sleaze ball. 

 

1 hour ago, bugatti said:

When I'm hiring a NFL QB to run my franchise, I want someone that is somewhat of a sound decision maker in their personal lives. Going to IG to hire 70 massage therapists (that we know of) is about dumb as it gets, given his stature.

Deshaun needs a couple of good "middle men" in his life.  He has the money and that is the tough part. 

[Voice of Reason]

These last two cases might give the Browns an out on the contract. They don’t seem to have any interest in working that angle. Baker Mayfield and the Browns agreed that Baker not attend team workouts.

[HoopJunkie]

2 hours ago, Voice of Reason said:

These last two cases might give the Browns an out on the contract. They don’t seem to have any interest in working that angle. Baker Mayfield and the Browns agreed that Baker not attend team workouts.

Actually, it’s doesn’t. And they can’t work that angle even if they want to. They’re stuck. Andrew Brandt was on McAfee yesterday talking about it. He said the contract reads like it was written by Watson’s agent. They have to pay him fully the first years, regardless of he plays or not. They can then void the last two. But the damage is done. No morals clause. No safety net. They traded their draft assets. The Browns will always figure out a way to be the Browns…

[Voice of Reason]

50 minutes ago, HoopJunkie said:

Actually, it’s doesn’t. And they can’t work that angle even if they want to. They’re stuck. Andrew Brandt was on McAfee yesterday talking about it. He said the contract reads like it was written by Watson’s agent. They have to pay him fully the first years, regardless of he plays or not. They can then void the last two. But the damage is done. No morals clause. No safety net. They traded their draft assets. The Browns will always figure out a way to be the Browns…

I am not an attorney but I believe any contract regardless of the language in the contract can be voided by misrepresentation. If Watson said there will be no more and now there are more, that seems like it could be characterized as misrepresentation.

[TheDeuce]

2 hours ago, Voice of Reason said:

I am not an attorney but I believe any contract regardless of the language in the contract can be voided by misrepresentation. If Watson said there will be no more and now there are more, that seems like it could be characterized as misrepresentation.

I’d say it’s highly unlikely Watson said there wouldn’t be more. If anything, I’d say the Browns knew there would be more and were willing to take the chance. 

[bugatti]

12 hours ago, TheDeuce said:

I’d say it’s highly unlikely Watson said there wouldn’t be more. If anything, I’d say the Browns knew there would be more and were willing to take the chance. 

I would say this is accurate. On the other hand, Watson use of judgement hasn't shown to be the best, so there is that...

[oldgrappler]

I am completely in agreement with all that you say about the sleaze of this and I am very disappointed in my Browns for pursuing DeShaun Watson and landing him.  

But I don't know where you all are getting your information about the contract being iron-clad.  Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported June 10:

"The Browns do have typical club protection in the five-year deal — and extra protection as first reported in April by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk — that would enable them to void the contract in the event actions take place after it was signed, or actions from beforehand that come to light that would prevent him from fulfilling his duties."   

See full article at: Watson Contract

And here is a bit of the article by Mike Florio of Profootball Talk on Apr 8 cited by Mary Kay Cabot:

"If Watson admits to having sexual encounters with any, some, or all of those 18 women, could that get him suspended, regardless of the outcome of the investigation regarding the 22 massage therapists who accuse him of wrongdoing? The Commissioner could decide that Watson should miss games without pay as part of the effort to intervene and to resolve the behaviors that resulted in Watson repeatedly (if the evidence supports that conclusion) using massage sessions as cover for the solicitation of prostitution. If that occurs, and if that specific wrinkle hasn’t been included in the written disclosure mentioned in Watson’s contract, the Browns possibly would be able to void his guarantees and/or to recover a portion of his signing bonus, if it so chooses.

Finally, the contract presumes that Watson will be suspended in 2022 or 2023. For any suspension imposed after 2023, the default language would apply, no matter what."

Full article here: Mike Florio on Watson Contract

And I recall Browns' GM, Andrew Berry, being asked point blank about the nature of the guaranteed contract.  He responded that the contract contained the "typical club protections."  Florio claimed to have seen the contract and confirmed those protections were there.   

So, it appears, if surprises develop in the Watson saga, the Browns will not have to fully pay his guaranteed contract, as the contract included protections for such an eventuality.  

[theguru]

24 minutes ago, oldgrappler said:

I am completely in agreement with all that you say about the sleaze of this and I am very disappointed in my Browns for pursuing DeShaun Watson and landing him.  

But I don't know where you all are getting your information about the contract being iron-clad.  Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported June 10:

"The Browns do have typical club protection in the five-year deal — and extra protection as first reported in April by Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk — that would enable them to void the contract in the event actions take place after it was signed, or actions from beforehand that come to light that would prevent him from fulfilling his duties."   

See full article at: Watson Contract

And here is a bit of the article by Mike Florio of Profootball Talk on Apr 8 cited by Mary Kay Cabot:

"If Watson admits to having sexual encounters with any, some, or all of those 18 women, could that get him suspended, regardless of the outcome of the investigation regarding the 22 massage therapists who accuse him of wrongdoing? The Commissioner could decide that Watson should miss games without pay as part of the effort to intervene and to resolve the behaviors that resulted in Watson repeatedly (if the evidence supports that conclusion) using massage sessions as cover for the solicitation of prostitution. If that occurs, and if that specific wrinkle hasn’t been included in the written disclosure mentioned in Watson’s contract, the Browns possibly would be able to void his guarantees and/or to recover a portion of his signing bonus, if it so chooses.

Finally, the contract presumes that Watson will be suspended in 2022 or 2023. For any suspension imposed after 2023, the default language would apply, no matter what."

Full article here: Mike Florio on Watson Contract

And I recall Browns' GM, Andrew Berry, being asked point blank about the nature of the guaranteed contract.  He responded that the contract contained the "typical club protections."  Florio claimed to have seen the contract and confirmed those protections were there.   

So, it appears, if surprises develop in the Watson saga, the Browns will not have to fully pay his guaranteed contract, as the contract included protections for such an eventuality.  

Thanks for all that og, it makes sense.  I know we compete against the Browns but I don't want to see them be handicapped, I want everyone's best.