Browns re-affirm commitment to Deshaun Watson as franchise quarterback

It has been suggested that new allegations against Deshaun Watson could help the Browns void his contract, but the team has no plans to pursue such a path

The Cleveland Browns have been in the news a lot lately, and not for the right reasons. Their new partnership with quarterback Deshaun Watson has generated a lot of heat for them — and it’s only gotten worse since he arrived in Berea.

Watson was facing 22 allegations of sexual misconduct and that number recently grew to 24. With the new allegations arising, there was a belief the Browns could try and void his $230 million contract.

However, that won’t happen. According to Mary Kay Cabot, Cleveland is still “all-in” on Watson. Cabot also quoted Watson’s lawyer, Rusty Hardin, as saying the truth will come out and that anyone who knows Deshaun Watson still stands behind him.

"“The Browns and all of us that know Deshaun are still totally behind him,’’ Hardin told cleveland.com in a text response via Mary Kay Cabot. “These latest claims by [plaintiffs’ attorney Tony] Buzbee change nothing, and they are totally false, and that will ultimately be what everyone concludes when they hear the evidence.”"

Is Deshaun Watson worth the backlash?

As a player, Watson is one of the best in the NFL. He’s completed 67.8 percent of his passes for 14,539 yards with 104 touchdowns and just 36 picks. On top of that, he has 1,677 yards rushing and another 17 touchdowns on the ground.

Cleveland knew they were getting a solid player and they also knew they were going to take a huge hit when it comes to public relations.

There are strong feelings when such serious accusations are levied and with the Browns knowingly pursuing Watson with this looming over his head, they opened themselves up to a lot of criticism — and several fans have voiced their displeasure, going as far as to say they’re done with the team.

Even with that going on, the front office and coaching staff are making a statement by remaining committed to Watson. Whether or not they truly believe he’s innocent, they are saying they believe he will be worth it as a player.

It remains to be seen what the NFL punishment will be on Watson but that too will be unlikely to change the team’s belief that he’s going to turn this franchise around.