Albert Breer Offers Latest On Timeline For Potential Deshaun Watson Suspension

The NFL has still yet to announce a potential punishment for Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson.

So, when will that announcement be made?

NFL insider Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated recently provided a possible timeline for Watson's punishment decision.

With the recent addition of two more allegations of sexual misconduct (lawsuits No. 23 and 24), Breer believes the NFL will be patient in their decision making process as new information continues to emerge.

To me, the developments of the last couple of weeks, from the emergence of the 23rd and 24th lawsuits, to the possibility of the 25th and 26th lawsuits, to the New York Times report, illustrate the merit in independent arbitrator Sue Robinson and the NFL being patient and deliberate in handing down sanctions to Deshaun Watson and his camp. And it’s the same reason why smart people at the league have told me the pretrial discovery deadline at the end of this month is a big one as it pertains to the timing of the announcement.

Bottom line, it behooves the NFL to have as much information as it can before making a ruling, and, if you presume the league can’t have him out there early in the season, there’s still flexibility to wait a little longer without materially changing anything.

Before these new civil cases emerged, Breer thought the NFL would have a decision by early July. Now, he feels a decision could come as late as training camp.

I thought before the new cases were filed and the Times report ran that the league would probably wait until July 4 weekend (which is after the discovery deadline) to drop the news. The latest developments, and this is just me talking, make me wonder whether they might just decide to give it until the start of training camp to play it safe. There are, of course, three pieces to the process (the arbitrator’s decision, Roger Goodell’s ruling and then the chance for an appeal), so all of this won’t happen overnight. But there’s still time.

And if the NFL wants to use that time, even if it makes it uncomfortable on teams other than the Browns trying to prepare for the season, then I really do get it.

After landing Watson in a blockbuster trade with the Houston Texans earlier this offseason, the Browns signed him on a fully-guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract.