Deshaun Watson And His Civil Cases
February 24th, 2022
Teams are desperate
Desperation breeds tolerance.
Think of it as you are in a bomb Howard Avenue hotspot on a warm spring night. You’ve been striking out with the hot babes. So as last call inches closer, your standards expand.
And so is the case with Houston quarterback Deshaun Watson and the some three dozen hassles with women hanging over his head. NFL teams know they cannot make a Super Bowl run without a quarterback. And there are only so many to go around.
Last year, per the creator, curator and overall guru of Pro Football Talk, the great Mike Florio, teams were spooked by all of Watson’s alleged hassles. Now? Several teams have been talking with Houston and are willing to overlook the allegations, Florio said. They just need a damn quarterback. But with one condition, Florio types.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, multiple teams are indeed willing to make the deal, as long as the criminal situation is resolved. Last year, the Dolphins insisted on settlement of all cases before a trade would be finalized. The Panthers were willing to make the deal regardless of the civil (or criminal) cases, but Watson didn’t want to waive his no-trade clause for a trade to Carolina.
The teams currently willing to do a deal without a settlement of the civil cases aren’t known. But they’re out there, lurking and strategizing and planning as the quarterback carousel prepares to spin.
And this brings in Blaine Gabbert. Chris Mortensen of BSPN floated (?) the notion last night that Arians is selling Gabbert as the next Bucs starter because he believes the Bucs can keep their head above water with Gabbert just long enough for Watson to surface from an NFL suspension.
If that is indeed true, then Arians is crazy like a fox.
February 24th, 2022 at 11:35 am
So funny. They all look better at closing time.
February 24th, 2022 at 11:41 am
So we’ll pay Gabbert, Watson, and take Brady’s cap hit. How you going to field a team Joe with all that money tied up in QB’s? The numbers just don’t add up. We have to replace 24 free agents, going to take some cash we don’t have. A trade for Watson just doesn’t add up. I also don’t see the Glazers, especailly the sister bringing in another sex offender. Winston being the first. Those who don’t learn from history Joe. I think the Glazzer’s are smarter than that.
February 24th, 2022 at 11:43 am
@ Joe
Do you really believe the Glazer boys will make a sexual predator the face of the franchise?
Can you imagine the Glazer boys hoisting up a giant 30 ft x 20ft poster of Watson above the stadium?
These guys pulled Gruden from the Ring of Honor for saying D. Smith had big lips…
Sorry – I just don’t see it happening here.
February 24th, 2022 at 11:51 am
Brady has a significantly less cap hit after June 4, which is the biggest reason he’s still on the roster. Gabbert made $2.5 million last year… The guy who sweeps the floor makes that much
February 24th, 2022 at 11:53 am
D. Watson will end up in Pittsburgh.
They just had an alleged rapist as their starting QB for almost 20 years…
Pittsburgh would welcome Watson with open arms.
February 24th, 2022 at 11:53 am
Some Bucs fans would take Jeff Epstein as their QB if he could throw a pretty ball and read a defense…
February 24th, 2022 at 11:54 am
No, Chucky got pulled for e-mailing awful things about one of the Bucs shot-callers in the family.
February 24th, 2022 at 11:57 am
I still foresee Watson or Winston will be with the Steelers..
Likely Watson but if they miss out on him, I can see Tomlin bringing in Winston to compete for starter…
February 24th, 2022 at 11:59 am
@ Joe
That’s interesting. Most of the public outcry/outrage I heard about was due to Gruden saying D. Smith’s lips were as big as car tires…
Can you elaborate?
Who did Gruden offend at One Buc?
Seriosly – I was not aware of Gruden’s other offenses.
February 24th, 2022 at 12:00 pm
Why settle for one scumbag when we have two: Dassault Watson AND Jamoist Winston! That way if one scumbag goes down we have another one to field!
February 24th, 2022 at 12:07 pm
@ Tye
I commented the same thing a few minutes ago but I guess the Joes didn’t like my comment…
Pittsburgh is the perfect place for Watson. They welcomed Big Ben back after being a very bad boy. They would welcome Watson with open arms.
February 24th, 2022 at 12:19 pm
In Texas, the criminal statute of limitations for ra..e and other $ex)ual assault offenses that involve a victim who is 18 or older is 10 years after the day the offense took place. The civil statute of limitations for $e-x crimes against adults is 5 years after the date the offense occurred.
This could take a while……
February 24th, 2022 at 12:20 pm
Only way I see us getting Watson is if we are the only team he is willing to waive his no trade clause for but good to hear he didn’t want to go to Carolina just hope he’s not thinking saints
February 24th, 2022 at 12:25 pm
all those ladies can’t all be wrong about Watson . I am a bucs fan but Watson is a predator so why would you want him as the face of the team !
February 24th, 2022 at 12:27 pm
I’d prefer J. Winston to come back as he is at least married now
February 24th, 2022 at 12:30 pm
All Watson’s cases are on front of a grand jury right now, and it was announced that any indictments would likely happen by April 1
February 24th, 2022 at 12:32 pm
He is being forced to testify in this civil case around April 1st. He will likely plead the 5th to every question, as to not incriminate himself for a future assessment of the criminal charge evaluation. The accusers will also be publicly testifying, so there will be numerous bad media stories following testifying on the case.
I am shocked at this point they haven’t settled out of court for whatever the women want, the more public this gets, the more his long term reputation gets destroyed.
The shear number to accusers 22 is so odd within a 12 month period. Neither side is disputing he hired at least 22 different masseuses in 12 m. In which he would cold call or cold IM for a massage. Athletes need massages sure but why hire a new girl every week for a year. And then even admit as a dense that some of the sexual contact was consensual but then follow up with apologies or never re hiring the massage person back.
February 24th, 2022 at 12:34 pm
@ Beej
Exactly – this is why I don’t believe anything will happen with the “Watson situation” until after April 1st…
Just because Lovie wants Watson gone does not mean anything.
Watson has already blocked one trade to Carolina. Watson is in charge of the situation not Lovie.
February 24th, 2022 at 12:39 pm
Bucs have a win now roster vs a rebuild roster but not much cap space to pay Watson.
One commentator suggest that if Kyle Trask was in this year’s draft, he might have been the top QB taken. Why not take a chance on him? He sat behind the best and has the tools to become a pretty solid QB. Plus, it hard not to succeed with offensive weapons the Bucs have. Lastly, BA has done great with rookie QBs with his past teams.
February 24th, 2022 at 12:40 pm
Jameis had one accusation while with the Bucs, ONE, and that ACCUSATION was a grope. A GROPE. Oh yeah, and that was 6 or 7 years ago. Watson has 22 accusations that we know about, and none are about a grope. Winston didn’t turn the ball over near as much with the Saints. I don’t know if it was coaching or a difference in the play calling, but it was clearly better. He is experienced in our system. He knows the coaches and the players. I doubt that he would cost any more than Gabbert. He wouldn’t mortgage the future of the franchise to acquire. He would at least ease the transition to Trask. I will pay for Sunday Ticket to watch the Bucs with Winston. I won’t do it with Watson. Winston set franchise records with some pretty bad teams. I’d like to see what he could do with this team, even if it’s just for one season.
February 24th, 2022 at 12:43 pm
Looks like these owners make all the rules they didn’t like Gruden so they got rid of him, they don’t like to hire black head coaches and GMs so they don’t, so they don’t see anything wrong with what Watson did so they will grease the palms of someones hands so they can get the charges dropped and they will.
February 24th, 2022 at 12:44 pm
So, bruce arrogance plan is to let the journeyman play some games why the star QB deals with all the ssexual assault fall out? Where have we seen this movie before.
Go fitzmagic, err I mean Blainemagic.
February 24th, 2022 at 12:48 pm
@ Alabama
“The Bucs have a win now roster”
If the Bucs are able to draft very well and re-sign 24 free agents (11 are starters) then they will have a win now roster…
FTFY
February 24th, 2022 at 12:51 pm
Marine Buc
In an email to Bruce Allen……Gruden said that (one of the Glazers) could $uck his (you know what) & Allen replied….”he’d probably take you up on that”
That will get you taken off the Ring of Honor and put you on the Rimming of Honor……
February 24th, 2022 at 12:53 pm
These allegations are misdemeanors at best. Happy ending requests.
Would these cases have ever been filed if it didnt involve a rich pro football QB? Of course not. The plaintiffs lawyers drummed this up for their 33%.
Check out how these holier than thou pro football owners got their $. The guy down in Miami paid his coach to lose.
pathetic hipocracy in my book.
February 24th, 2022 at 12:59 pm
@ TBBF
Hahahahaha!!!
I seriously was not aware of that…
That’s hilarious.
February 24th, 2022 at 1:03 pm
Dassault Watson … Jamoist Winston … decisions … decisions …
February 24th, 2022 at 1:10 pm
Watson isnt for us..
February 24th, 2022 at 1:17 pm
Can we just be done with the creeps? This guy isn’t meant to live among civilized humans.
February 24th, 2022 at 1:23 pm
Keeping Blane is for TB12 not Watson
February 24th, 2022 at 1:32 pm
The Bucs would re-sign Jameis before they would trade for Watson. Watson may be a little more talented, but the difference is not worth multiple high draft picks. And the PR disaster would send corporate season ticket holders to the sidelines.
February 24th, 2022 at 1:37 pm
Jeff, I am sure you and G0d will be happy in heaven together as the only two perfect beings to ever exist.
February 24th, 2022 at 1:43 pm
Get it done, Licht!
February 24th, 2022 at 1:44 pm
Sounds reasonable if the defense comes back healthy and strong… More of a pass rush from the front 4. They need a healthy JPP back.
It still does not matter if they can’t figure out the cap and if the legal issues don’t get resolved … going on two years now
February 24th, 2022 at 1:46 pm
It’s not being “holier than thou” to hold Watson in a different light. Especially when the vast majority, probably better than 90%, of the players in this league manage to keep out of any trouble.
Expect and want better.
February 24th, 2022 at 2:34 pm
When it comes to the Bucs & winning….TBBF is a total wh)ore…….
I’d stomach most any player who escaped a jail sentence if he could help the Bucs win.
But, I’m not sure the Glazers have the appetite for someone who did what Watson (allegedly) has done.
It’s one thing to put up with a single hassle from you #1 draft pick who is under contract….It’s another thing altogether to pay a King’s ransom in draft picks and salary to someone on the block.
A total PR disaster could fall on the Bucs…..and after such a sweet ride with Brady.
February 24th, 2022 at 2:56 pm
Winston isnt coming I have it from a very reliable source that he is very sour on bucs organization and how it ended so you can forget that not to mention Ive already seen it and I don’t want to see it again he just isn’t a good fit for arians scheme.
February 24th, 2022 at 3:05 pm
if I recall Robert Kraft paid for some massage parlor action and wiggled out of it on a technicality. And the kind of place he visited is a driving force behind human trafficking.
the league did didly squat.
February 24th, 2022 at 3:33 pm
Eric- The difference between Watson and Kraft is significant. Significant in that Kraft has $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$ and Watson has $$$!
February 24th, 2022 at 3:36 pm
Pretty simple calculus: if the criminal case goes away, the NFL does not suspend him for an extended period of time, a trade does not mortgage the future, and his cap hit does not materially weaken our personnel, then you go get him. Why? Because he immediately puts you right back in the SB hunt, possibly for many seasons to come. Civil suits pushed by the particular plaintiff’s lawyer in these cases, are just that: claims for money. The allegations might be salacious, but once the claims are paid without a trial and jury verdict, it’s just a business transaction. Maybe harsh, but that’s the truth.
February 24th, 2022 at 3:39 pm
Come on Eric,, millions of American men go to these places for an old fashion. Judge not lest ye be judged. You can’t hit on anyone at work, you can’t tell a woman she looks nice. God forbid you ask for a date. You’re immediately branded a sex offender. If you don’t think a direct correlation exists between this behavior and the cancel culture, you’re as out of touch (no pun intended) as they come. ( No pun intended )
February 24th, 2022 at 3:41 pm
Ben rests on your face, Ben means rest my case
February 24th, 2022 at 5:30 pm
@ben
That’s the point ive been trying to make. Its blown miles out of proportion.
February 24th, 2022 at 5:34 pm
Can’t go into further detail but if you Google the subject you will find out what triggered the response.
February 24th, 2022 at 6:30 pm
I think I read on the Athletic, I think, that they were told the local DA is going to make a case to charge or not charge Watson in the next few ‘weeks’ and this shouldn’t drag out for months.
Again, none of the women involved have filed a criminal complaint – they just want a civil case payday, so I don’t even know what the charges would be, but supposedly it is going to be cleared up in ‘weeks’. Why it has taken a year to decide if there will even be charges is pretty disgraceful in itself. If they have some sort of smoking gun where they can convict him, then fine, throw him in prison for the rest of his life, I don’t care – but if none of the women involved are filing a criminal suit and had to be recruited by a lawyer in exchange for a potential 6-figure, maybe 7-figure payday, well to me, that doesn’t seem like a very strong case.
With that said, I’m completely open to hearing new facts, but so far I haven’t heard anything that makes me think this is anything more than a money grab by the ladies of craigslist and an ambulance chasing lawyer.
February 24th, 2022 at 10:25 pm
Ulch I hope not… can’t stomach another Winston-esque character
February 25th, 2022 at 8:00 am
I don’t know much about Watson but I do know what too often happens with talented young black athletes. They get recruited because of their physical skills, major in phys Ed classes and get social passes (c- grades just high enough to keep their eligibilty). You can take the kid out of the ghetto but too often you can’t take the ghetto out of the kid. At Wisconsin I saw many young gifted athletes from the Chicago area use up their 4 year eligibility but then no degree and bye bye. Then they get big bucks from pro teams but piss it all away with bad behavior and shady hangers on. This is a story that repeats over and over again. I know the NFL has instituted guidance support for young players from difficult backgrounds, but too many struggle in their personal lives. The social problems they are born into follow them down the rabbit hole of shady friends and shady behavior. Too often they are not worth the behavioral risk. Is DeShawn worth the risk?