As the NFL prepares to impose an unprecedented punishment on Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson for four instances of non-violent sexual assault, Watson has made a last-ditch effort to resolve the situation.
According to Rob Maaddi of the Associated Press, Watson “would accept” an eight-game suspension and pay a $5 million fine to resolve the situation.
We placed “would accept” in quotes because that makes it not part of a negotiation, not a formal offer to which the league would respond, sparking a back and forth that finishes with more games and more money. It’s Watson’s camp floating the idea of what it would take to get it done.
The report makes no indication as to what the league will do. In a subsequent item, we’ll analyze the potential response from the party that, at this point, has the deck fully stacked in its favor — as evidenced by Watson’s willingness to miss nearly half the season and surrender half the salary he earned last year.