"Browns don't have clarity" - NFL insider claims Cleveland is in a terrible situation following Baker Mayfield trade

Now that the Baker Mayfield saga is finally over, the Cleveland Browns await word on the fate of Deshaun Watson. The former Houston Texans quarterback had twenty-four sexual misconduct suits brought against him and has so far settled all but four. A hearing to determine his punishment from the NFL was held but thus far, no decision has been made.

Tom Pelissero is a reporter for NFL Network. In a recent radio interview, he spoke about the Browns post Mayfield and what those close to the hearing believe will happen to Watson.

"Browns don't have clarity and won't until Sue Robinson issues her decision and any appeals are resolved. People who are familiar with the hearing and the case would be surprised if it does end up being a year or more."

The length of the potential suspension has been the subject of much debate. Some think it may well be the whole season. Others think it won't be for a full campaign, as his year away from the game in 2021 could count as time served. Judge Sue Robinson has been selected to make the decision and whatever the punishment will be, an appeal is expected that will draw the process out even longer.

If precedent is used, the judge could look to Ben Roethlisberger, who was handed a six-game suspension after he was accused of sexual assault. No criminal charges were sought and the case was settled out of court, but the Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback was handed a six-game suspension for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy.

Baker Mayfield has gone, Deshuan Watson's punishment looms and the Browns hope to focus on the 2022 season

Los Angeles Rams v Cleveland Browns

Baker Mayfield is now with the Carolina Panthers and Watson is still in limbo. The Cleveland Browns will look to veteran backup Jacoby Brissett. During his time spent backing up quarterbacks like Andrew Luck and Tua Tagovailoa, Brissett has accumulated many starts in the NFL. He has proven to be a dependable backup and is more than capable of winning games.

He has started 37 games in his career and has a 14-23 record. He has thrown for 7,742 yards 36 touchdowns and 17 interceptions. The record is a bit patchy, however many of those games he was expected to lose. Other than that, those statistics should be comforting for Cleveland fans.

Mayfield may have led the Browns to a playoff win, but Watson’s abilities were too good to pass up on, despite the troubles he faced off the field. Now, with the start of the 2022 season looming ever closer, we should soon find out exactly how long the Browns will be without their prized new acquisition.

The Browns have an extremely talented roster on both sides of the ball. If they lean on their ground game with the powerful tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt, anything could still happen. We shall see how the situation develops with the passing of time.

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