NFL owners were apparently displeased with the way Deshaun Watson’s contract was structured.
Earlier this year, Watson signed a massive 5-year $230 million fully guaranteed contract with the Cleveland Browns. Watson would only get paid $1.035 million in the first year of the contract which many felt was to allow Watson to lose to the minimum amount of money if he were suspended by the NFL.
According to Peter King, “it didn’t sit well” with many owners that the Browns potentially “rigged” Watson’s contract.
“One influential NFL person told me on this trip that it doesn’t sit well with the league or 31 other owners that the Browns rigged the Watson contract so that his suspension would cause him to lose only a fraction of his 2022 compensation,” King wrote.
Browns general manager Andrew Berry defended the contract during his introductory press conference back in March, saying it was “very similar to a lot of the larger player contracts we already have on the books.”
It appears that owners are calling for Watson to give up some money in fines and receive a lengthier suspension than the six games given to him by NFL disciplinary officer Sue Robinson.
Spoke to numerous #NFL owners regarding the league appeal of Deshaun Watson suspension. One described the penalty as “too lenient.”
When I asked another whether Watson’s suspension needed to be lengthened and fine added, he replied, “There just needs to be more of everything.”
— Ed Werder (@WerderEdESPN) August 9, 2022