The NFL is letting the Deshaun Watson saga drag on far too long

The Deshaun Watson saga has been a daily storyline for way too long. First up was him finding a team, which he did with the Cleveland Browns. Next was figuring out how long he would be suspended, if at all, following his numerous sexual harassment allegations and the subsequent civil lawsuits. That conversation has dragged on since March with no resolution in sight as we near the end of July.

The NFL has a new disciplinary process in place that is supposed to be fairer. The league is trying to be more objective and transparent when it comes to high-profile cases involving its star players. Thus, former federal judge Sue Robinson is handling the Watson case and will ultimately hand down a decision. However, it does not end there.

No matter the decision, both sides have the ability to appeal to Roger Goodell. For example, a short ban could see the league appeal, while a long one will have Watson and the NFLPA fighting it.

Robinson seems to be taking her time in order to truly come to a proper decision. In a court of law, this is nothing new. However, the NFL cycle moves much quicker. That is why everyone is so shocked at the amount of time it is taking.

In the past, Goodell would just hand down a suspension without much of a challenge. Sure, players could appeal, but he essentially had the final say. Adding someone like Robinson to the mix means an objective set of eyes is judging the case.

The situation just gets tricky because she is not investigating Watson criminally. Instead, she is trying to determine how many games he will miss during the upcoming NFL season.

Every day she waits leaves the Browns in a trickier spot as they prepare for Week 1. This represents a stark difference between the legal system and the NFL season. By trying to make things fairer, the league may have complicated things way too much.

A decision on Watson should come soon. But fans can expect an appeal on one side or the other based on the decision. So this saga will not end anytime soon. There is also the reality that he may be back in this position next year while he deals with his four pending civil lawsuits.

There is a key difference between being cautious and being overly cautious. The NFL is the latter at the moment, and it has created an even bigger distraction.

How are the Cleveland Browns preparing for Deshaun Watson's impending suspension?

Cleveland Browns Mandatory Minicamp

It is still not known if Watson will be suspended for a full year, eight games or none at all. Of course, the Browns don't want their signal caller to be suspended at all. The growing consensus, however, believes he will be suspended for a total of eight games.

The Browns began their training camp this week. Watson was in attendance, but Jacoby Brissett was also there. He is the Browns' backup quarterback. Depending on the length of Watson's suspension, Brissett will be expected to start in the wake of any suspension that is handed down.

Brissett was drafted in the third round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the New England Patriots. After his rookie season, he was traded to the Indianapolis Colts. From 2017-2019, he served as the Colts' primary starting quarterback. In 2021, he was traded to the Miami Dolphins.

Earlier this year, he signed with the Cleveland Browns. Brissett has spent the majority of his career transitioning from the backup role to the starting role. His unique skill set will serve the Browns well as they continue to await word on the fate of their franchise quarterback.