Editor’s note: This story contains accounts of sexual assault. If you or someone you know is a survivor of sexual assault, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or at https://www.rainn.org.
Since Cleveland traded for quarterback Deshaun Watson nearly two weeks ago, the franchise has faced criticism in signing the three-time Pro Bowler. However, Browns general manager Andrew Berry told reporters at the NFL owners’ meetings on Tuesday that he regrets how the trade took place.
Berry, who stands firmly on the idea of being able to communicate with his player, coaches and personnel, met with Baker Mayfield’s agent at the NFL Scouting Combine earlier this month and stated that the organization was looking at other signal-callers. However, Berry did not tell Mayfield’s agent that he was meeting with Watson on March 15 in Houston, three days before the organization traded for the former Texans quarterback.
Berry said that’s the one thing he wishes he would have done differently in the process of the blockbuster trade.
“If there’s probably one thing that I would regret or kind of go back [and do] differently, when [Mayfield] had been notified that we were one of the teams that Deshaun wanted to meet with, late that Monday night, we set up the visit,” he said, per USA Today. “I had set up a call for Baker’s representation the following morning. The news got out before I was able to make that call.
“You always hate those type of situations because it kind of gives off an appearance of —that’s never how you want someone to find out about that situation. That’s the one thing I wish I had done a little bit differently.”
By the time Berry, Browns coach Kevin Stefanski and owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam had returned to Cleveland following their meeting with Watson, Mayfield had already penned a heartfelt letter thanking fans for their support of him as the Browns’ quarterback. A couple of days later, Mayfield requested a trade, and the following day, Browns acquired Watson from Houston.
Watson signed a five-year, $230 million deal that is fully guaranteed, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. However, under his new deal, Watson will lose only $55,556 for every game he’s suspended. Comparatively, the quarterback’s contract with the Texans had him losing $1.94 million for each game he was suspended, per Sports Illustrated‘s Albert Breer. Watson’s base salary is just $1 million in 2022, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
The Browns introduced Watson as the team’s quarterback during a news conference on Friday after a Harris County, Texas, grand jury returned nine “no” bills on nine criminal complaints against Watson. Then, a second grand jury in Brazoria County declined to charge Watson on a 10th count.
However, Watson is still facing 22 active civil lawsuits that detail graphic accounts of sexual harassment and sexual assault that occurred during massage therapy sessions.
These accounts range from Watson refusing to cover his genitals to “touching [a plaintiff] with his penis and trying to force her to perform oral sex on him.” According to Jenny Vrentas of The New York Times, the criminal complaints he previously faced involved similar descriptions, including Watson ejaculating on them and either other forms of sexual assault or attempted sexual assault.
Berry also stated several times in the news conference that Watson and his cases were a “five-month odyssey.” The Browns used private investigators and third-party legal advisers to learn more about the cases but did not speak to the accusers.
Watson denied assaulting, harassing or disrespecting any woman during the news conference.
