CLEVELAND (AP) – The price of Deshaun Watson rose for the Cleveland Browns in 24 hours. Call it football inflation.
Cleveland’s trade for the legally entangled quarterback became official Sunday, as the Browns finalized the complex agreement and released statements from owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam explaining their decision to add him to their roster after the team’s own extensive investigation.
Watson, a three-time Pro Bowler, has been charged with sexual misconduct by 22 female massage therapists.
Browns’ announcement also contained terms of the agreement that proved to be inaccurate.
On Monday, when the trade hit the NFL transaction thread, the Browns had sent first- and fourth-round draft picks in 2022 (Nos. 13 and 107), first- and third-rounders in 2023, and first- and fourth-rounders in 2024 to the Texans. .
In return, Brown got Watson and a sixth-rounder in 2024.
The original deal did not include the fourth-round pick this season, and Cleveland got back a fifth-round pick in ’24.
The team stated no reason for the change.
Watson is expected to be in Cleveland later this week for a physical match and to be introduced by the Browns at a news conference. Plans are still being finalized by the team, which has received some setbacks for their decision to swap for him and give Watson a fully guaranteed $ 230 million contract.
Watson is scheduled to make statements over the next two days in Houston in the pending civil lawsuits filed by the women, who said he had sexually abused and harassed them during massage therapy sessions.
The 26-year-old Watson originally told the Browns he would not relinquish his no-trade clause to join them until he changed his mind. He was fascinated by their stacked list and lured by a contract that would pay him an average annual salary of $ 46 million – only second only to the $ 50 million that Green Bay gives Aaron Rodgers.
Watson is also facing possible discipline from the NFL, which is conducting an independent investigation into his behavior.
In the event that he is suspended without pay, Watson does not have to lose that much money because the Browns structured his contract with a base salary of $ 1.035 million – the league’s minimum for a player with his tenure – for next season. If he is suspended, Watson will lose $ 57,500 for every game he is out.
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