Nation
Cleveland Browns comment on controversial decision to trade for Deshaun Watson
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One of the most controversial decisions in NFL history became official Sunday morning when the Browns announced their blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans for Deshaun Watson.
Two dozen women have accused Watson of sexual misconduct or sexual assault during massage appointments. On March 11, a grand jury decided Watson wouldn’t be criminally charged, and the ruling kicked off the sweepstakes among NFL teams for his services as a quarterback despite 22 ongoing civil lawsuits and a likely league suspension looming.
On Thursday morning, the Browns were rejected by Watson, whose no-trade clause gave him the power to dictate his landing spot. But the Browns kept pursuing Watson and compelled him to change his mind Friday with an offer he couldn’t refuse. He received a new five-year contract worth $230 million fully guaranteed.
The Browns structured Watson’s deal to give him a break in the event of a suspension while also allowing themselves salary-cap flexibility. His base salary for next season will be the league minimum for a player with his experience — $1.035 million, confirmed a person with knowledge of the contract who requested anonymity because details haven’t been made public. That means if he were suspended, it would cost him just $57,500 for each game he misses.
With Watson installed as the starting quarterback, the Browns are expected to trade Baker Mayfield soon.
The Browns are receiving intense public backlash from segments of their fan base for the Watson move, and the record-setting money the franchise gave him further fuels the outcry.
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Owners Dee, Jimmy Haslam, GM Andrew Berry, coach Kevin Stefanski issue statements on Deshaun Watson
The following are statements from Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam, general manager Andrew Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski about the franchise’s acquisition of Watson, a three-time Pro Bowl selection.
Haslams: “We spent a tremendous amount of time exploring and investigating the opportunity to trade for Deshaun Watson. We are acutely aware and empathetic to the highly personal sentiments expressed about this decision. Our team’s comprehensive evaluation process was of utmost importance due to the sensitive nature of his situation and the complex factors involved. We also understand there are still some legal proceedings that are ongoing and we will respect due process. It was pivotal that we, along with Andrew Berry and Kevin Stefanski, meet with Deshaun to have a straightforward dialogue, discuss our priorities, and hear directly from him on how he wants to approach his career on and off the field. He was humble, sincere, and candid. In our conversations, Deshaun detailed his commitment to leading our team; he understands and embraces the hard work needed to build his name both in the community and on the field. Those in-depth conversations, the extensive evaluation process, his dedication to being a great teammate and devotion to helping others within the NFL, within the community, and through his charitable initiatives provided the foundation for us to pursue Deshaun. We are confident in Deshaun and excited about moving forward with him as our quarterback and supporting his genuine and determined efforts.”
Berry: “We look forward to having Deshaun as our starting quarterback. We have done extensive investigative, legal and reference work over the past several months to provide us with the appropriate information needed to make an informed decision about pursuing him and moving forward with him as our quarterback. Deshaun has been among the very best at the position and he understands the work needed to re-establish himself on and off the field in Cleveland. We are confident that he will make positive contributions to our team and community as we support his return to football.”
Stefanski: “Our organization did a tremendous amount of background on Deshaun. We understand the concerns and questions that exist but are confident in the extensive work Andrew and his staff have done to feel confident about him joining our organization. It was important for us to meet with Deshaun in person as part of our team’s evaluation process, we had a candid conversation regarding his approach to coming into our organization and community. I’m looking forward to the opportunity to coach Deshaun, he is ready to put in the hard work needed to help our team improve and make a positive impact in our community.”
The Browns, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers met with Watson last week in an attempt to recruit him. Those teams had to submit trade offers to the Texans to get a meeting with Watson, Houston GM Nick Caserio said Saturday in a news conference.
From there, Watson’s no-trade clause allowed him to choose where he went.
The Browns were informed Thursday morning Watson would not waive his no-trade clause for them. The Panthers were reportedly told by Thursday night they were out of the mix.
Watson, 26, had narrowed his decision down to the Falcons and Saints. However, the Browns kept pushing and showed Watson they would not be outbid. He decided he would come to Cleveland after all.
Watson’s five-year, $230 million deal will set a record for the most guaranteed money on a single contract in NFL history, according to ESPN Stats & Information. His average annual salary of $46 million will rank second among NFL quarterbacks, trailing only Green Bay Packers four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers ($50.27 million).
The Browns agreed to send three first-round picks (one in each of the next three drafts), a 2023 third-round selection and a 2024 fourth-round choice to the Texans for Watson and a 2024 fifth-round pick.
The Texans announced the agreement Friday, two days before the Browns followed suit Sunday.
The last time an NFL team surrendered three first-round picks to acquire a player was in 1989, when the Minnesota Vikings traded with the Dallas Cowboys for running back Herschel Walker, according to ESPN Stats & Information.
Among the picks the Texans received from the Browns is the 13th overall selection in the April 28-30 draft.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com.
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Uber, Lyft made safety improvements, but many of those protect riders more than drivers. But drivers are also in danger.
Naomi Ogutu
Opinion contributor
I’ve been a rideshare driver in New York City for six years, and I take pride in my job and helping my passengers get where they need to go safely. But my safety is not a guarantee. I’m a mom of three. I need to know that I’ll make it home to my kids at the end of each night.
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Business
'A bad déjà vu': Under the crush of Western sanctions, Russians fear a return to dark economic days
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Harsh sanctions from Western nations on Russia have reminded citizens of the country’s 1998 debt crisis.
By Anna Nemtsova
USA TODAY
- McDonalds and other American businesses have closed in Russia amid its invasion into Ukraine.
- One expert estimates more than 200,000 Russians have left the country since the start of the war.
- To counter economic turmoil, Putin has demand “unfriendly” countries pay for natural gas exports in rubles.
The once bustling corner of Moscow’s central Tverskaya Street looked deserted on Wednesday, as Russia’s first-ever McDonald’s franchise – opened in 1990 in a move that symbolized the Soviet Union’s opening to the West – shut its doors.
A large mural depicting a giant, Soviet-era medal – the Order of Victory, the highest military decoration awarded in World War II — loomed over over the empty sidewalk.
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The lone No. 1 seed still alive heading into the Elite Eight, Kansas needs only a win against No. 10 Miami (Fla.) to book a spot in the Final Four.
No. 2 Duke and coach Mike Krzyzewski can make one last Final Four and chase one final national championship by beating No. 4 Arkansas.
No. 2 Villanova can reach the national semifinals for the third time in six tournaments by winning what should be a defense-dominated brawl against No. 5 Houston.
And after beating No. 4 UCLA in the Sweet 16, No. 8 North Carolina is one win from reaching the Final Four under first-year coach Hubert Davis.
If everything goes according to plan, this year’s Final Four will consist of some of the biggest names in the history of the sport.
But the last week has taught us that this year’s NCAA Tournament will inevitably deviate from the script.
So look for the Jayhawks to be shocked in the Elite Eight, as the Bill Self collection of tournament collapses adds another painful chapter. Based on how things have gone through three rounds, Arkansas is a lock to send Krzyzewski into retirement one game shy of the Final Four. Villanova may be a two-time champion under Jay Wright, but the Wildcats will be smothered by Houston.
And, of course, the Tar Heels will lose to the team that embodies the wackiness and uncertainty of this entire tournament.
Saint Peter’s stands at the precipice of another outlandish achievement: being the first No. 15 seed — the first seed lower than No. 11, in fact — to reach the Final Four.
The Peacocks will be the underdog once again come Sunday, when they’ll match against a deeper and more talented opponent with decades of history to more than overshadow the Peacocks’ three-game run.
But beating another college basketball giant will simply take what we already know the Peacocks can bring to the table: Saint Peter’s reached the Elite Eight with energy, aggressiveness and composure, following the model set by unflappable coach Shaheen Holloway, and that same combination will give the Peacocks a chance at etching themselves into an even more permanent place in NCAA Tournament history.
“We’re happy but don’t mistake, we’re not satisfied, we’re not satisfied at all,” said guard Doug Edert. “The job is not finished. We feel like we belong and the more games we win the more confidence we build.”
That sounds like bad news for the Tar Heels, who might’ve righted the ship after a poor start to ACC play but could be the latest blueblood to the Peacocks’ formula.
At some point, the magic has to run out — for Saint Peter’s, which somehow keeps stacking upsets of higher-ranked opponents, and for the tournament at large, which has been wackier than ever but could suddenly snap back to the status quo.
But this March has not gone according to plan. Several big names lost early. Others failed to get out of the second round. The story of this year’s tournament has been upsets, shockers, letdowns, unpredictable officiating and unpredictability, period — why should the next two days be any different?
Follow colleges reporter Paul Myerberg on Twitter @PaulMyerberg
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