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Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson will return next season.
The final two lawsuits against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, alleging sexual misconduct, have been dismissed just before they were scheduled to go to trial.
One was set to go to trial on Feb. 18, while the other was set for March 30. The development effectively closes the book on a legal saga that has followed Watson since 2021. The cases were dismissed with prejudice in Houston, per USA Today. They were resolved under confidential terms, with at least one settlement, and cannot be refiled.
Those two cases were the last remaining among 27 lawsuits filed by women accusing Watson of sexual misconduct during massage sessions in 2020 and early 2021, when he played for the Houston Texans.
“We reached a settlement,” Tony Buzbee — who represented all but one of the women who filed lawsuits against Watson — told ESPN. “That’s all I can say about it, and all that needs to be said.”
Watson has consistently denied wrongdoing, though the NFL suspended him 11 games in 2022 following its investigation. The league also fined Watson a record $5 million for violating the league’s personal conduct policy and he had to undergo mandatory evaluation by behavioral experts.
Browns Want to ‘Tap In’ to Deshaun Watson’s Pro Bowl Potential
Watson has appeared in just 19 games with the Browns due to suspension and injuries, including a twice-ruptured Achilles that sidelined him all of last season. He’s entering the final year of a $230 million fully guaranteed contract the Browns signed him to in 2022.
Watson has not played more than seven games in a season since 2020. However, new head coach Todd Monken expressed excitement about Watson being in the mix for the starting quarterback job. Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel are also under contract for next season.
“You’ve got two young players who still have a long way to go in terms of development, and that’s just part of the learning curve in the NFL,” Monken said during an interview with Ashley Holder of Cleveland 19 News. “Then you have a player like Deshaun, who is coming back from injury and was once a Pro Bowl player and an elite player in this league. We would love to tap back into that.”
Monken: Browns QB1 ‘Still to be Determined’
Sanders is likely the frontrunner for the starting quarterback job. He started the final seven games of the season, passing for 1,400 yards, seven touchdowns and 10 interception. Sanders was named to the Pro Bowl Games as a replacement, capping a wild year for the former Colorado star.
However, Monken declined to say if Sanders has an edge as he sorts out the quarterback room.
“I think like any position on the team, that’s still to be determined,” Monken said during his introductory press conference. “Am I excited about Shedeur; am I excited about all the quarterbacks in the room; am I excited to coach this football team? Absolutely. I can’t wait for them to get back and for us to get started.”
The Browns are also expected to explore all their options in the draft, free agency and available trades to build out their quarterback room. Cleveland ranked near the bottom of the league last season in yards (262.1) and points per game (16.4).
J.R. DeGroote JR DeGroote is a staff writer for Heavy.com, where he has covered the NFL, NBA, and trending sports stories since 2019. His work focuses on some of the most passionate fanbases in sports, including reporting on the Cleveland Browns, Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Lakers. More about J.R. DeGroote
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