"Don’t want to be in a position where it looks like we didn’t do enough” - NFL analyst on how new Deshaun Watson lawsuits could slow down league's disciplinary process

At one point earlier this year, it seemed like Deshaun Watson was nearly at the end of his 18-month legal war. However, many now feel that the quarterback's battle is just getting started.

Another wave of accusations has come through that could effectively halt any progress. This has left people, including the NFL itself, wondering whether the additional lawsuits are just the tip of the iceberg.

One NFL analyst believes the uncertainty could stymie the league's willingness to make a decision regarding a suspension. Speaking on "Get Up," Dan Graziano outlined his expectations. Here's how he put it:

“Two new lawsuits filed last week, right. So even if the league thought it was through with its investigation and ready to make a decision on whether or not to discipline Deshaun Watson under personal conduct policy, we now have to take that into consideration.”

Graziano added that the uncertainty is a big factor when deciding the punishment for Deshaun Watson:

“And there's no question that part of the league’s calculus here is 'If we make a disciplinary recommendation and then we find out later down the road that these cases go to trial, we find out information that we didn’t have and should have factored into the decision, we don't want to be in a position where it looks like we didn't do enough.'”

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Deshaun Watson has endured a rocky few years

Deshaun Watson during his time with the Houston Texans

Deshaun Watson helped his college side Clemson win the National Championship against Alabama in 2016. In his first three years in the NFL after being drafted by the Houston Texans, the quarterback seemed to be on his way to greatness.

The Texans were on an upward trajectory and continued their progress once Watson joined the franchise.

However, 2020 marked the end of the quarterback's zenith. Following his stellar season in 2019, when he threw for a career-high 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions, he led the Texans to a miserable 4-12 win-loss record in 2020.

Soon after concluding the season, Watson was slammed with 22 accusations of sexual misconduct, leading to criminal and civil lawsuits. The lawsuits played a factor in the quarterback missing the 2021 season.

In 2022, he was acquitted of criminal charges, but was hit with another wave of accusations, bringing the total number of lawsuits to 26.

Watson, who joined the Cleveland Browns this offseason, could now be suspended for a significant length of time.

If you use any of the above quotes, please credit Get Up and H/T Sportskeeda.