Could the Deshaun Watson trade be reversed? Is the NFL leaning towards a year suspension?

There have been rumors flying this past week about the status of Browns recently acquired quarterback Deshaun Watson, and we wanted to clear the air a bit. According to several reports, the trade with Deshaun Watson could be reversed, but that is not true.

According to the Texans GM himself, The Browns and Texans trade is complete.

Texans GM Nick Caserio joined SportsRadio 610’s Payne & Pendergast to assure the fans the trade is completed.

“Unless there is somebody that is going to go in there overnight in a mask and try to get on a computer and may have a cyber attack or something like that, I’m not sure there’s anything that can be done there,” Caserio said. “So, no different than a draft-day trade, even though it kind of happens more in real-time. You have an agreement in place, okay, you contact the league. We have a trade. We have an agreement. You sign the paperwork along, and everyone goes along their merry way.”

This should put an end to the trade being reversed, but how long will the Browns gunslinger be suspended? There are rumors saying he could be out the entire year. If that happens will Jacoby Brissett be a good enough back-up to lead the Browns to the playoffs?

Well, according to Pro Football Talk, Watson could be punished for the entire year, but that too is speculation.

Per Maske, NFLPA outside counsel Jeffrey Kessler has become involved in the case. The league reportedly is concerned that Kessler will push for no discipline at all.

Maske confirms our report that, in defending Watson, the NFLPA will point to the punishments imposed (or not) on Commanders owner Daniel Snyder, Patriots owner Robert Kraft, and Cowboys owner Jerry Jones to support the argument that Watson’s punishment, if any, should reflect the consequences those owners received — especially since the Personal Conduct Policy warns that owners are held to a higher standard than players.

Maske adds that the league would like to have the situation fully resolved before training camp opens, but that the approach taken by Watson and the NFLPA could delay the outcome. Don’t blame Watson if that happens, NFL. You’ve had months to investigate the situation and to make a decision. When the time comes for Watson and the NFLPA to present a defense, it should take whatever amount of time it needs to take. And that should have been factored into the timing of the initiation of the process.

Per Maske, the league could impose discipline against Watson based on currently available information, with the understanding that further discipline could be imposed if new information surfaces. That could get tricky for the league. If, for example, he’s suspended eight games and proceeds to lose any, some, or all of the 24 (soon to be 26) lawsuits pending against him, the NFL surely wouldn’t be able to suspend him again simply because juries believe the testimony of the plaintiffs and impose verdicts against Watson. There would have to be something truly new — new claims, new evidence. Something that the league didn’t already know or that it shouldn’t have known, through reasonable investigative steps.

The NFL will make a decision soon on Watson, but at this point, the rumors are just swirling to get people fired up. Sorry Browns fans….