How can Browns be Confident in Deshaun Watson?

In light of news that Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson would not be charged criminally, teams including the Cleveland Browns seemingly couldn't wait to make a play for him, which begs a number of questions.

When the news broke that the Harris County grand jury declined to charge Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson, there was a palpable buzz, a level of glee within NFL circles. With no criminal consequences to consider, teams felt comfortable to immediately pursue a trade for the talented signal caller.

Within hours of the decision, a handful of teams were linked to Watson as potential trade partners. The Carolina Panthers, a team that was interested in acquiring Watson since last season was not a surprise, but teams including the Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Minnesota Vikings have all been thrown into the mix.

The rapidity with which this was all happening is jarring. It feels as though teams couldn't race to try to make a deal for Watson fast enough, giving little if any consideration for how difficult crimes of this nature can be to prove or the women involved.

Teams have been doing their own research, sending both security staff and even hiring private investigators to learn all they could, keeping tabs on the situation as it evolves, so they have more information than just about anyone else. It's difficult to imagine they can truly provide a confident answer as to what occurred between Watson and these 22 accusers.

Consider what these 22 massage therapists are alleging. A man was patronizing women in a field that would give him plausible deniability and then harassing or otherwise imposing with unprofessional expectations of a sexual nature. As one accuser suggests, it's behavior that might be escalating. 

It's not strange for a professional athlete to utilize massage therapy as part of a process to keep their body in the best shape possible.

It is strange for one athlete to go so many different massage therapists. When the charges initially came out, there were players that were struck by that fact alone including former 12-year veteran Jermon Bushrod. 

In since deleted tweets, Bushrod said, "I think I had half of that throughout my whole career.” He also noted that players tend to stick with a massage therapist they like.

Andrew Brandt, a former executive in the Green Bay Packers front office had a similar reaction, also noting how teams have their own in the building.

Making no statement on innocence/guilt of Deshaun Watson, but the number of therapists is unusual. Many players get massages with standing appointments with same therapist. In Green Bay there were 2-3 that most players (and I) used. Most teams have a couple that work with them.

— Andrew Brandt (@AndrewBrandt) March 31, 2021

Watson had gone to so many that part of his defense was using 18 who had professional experiences with him to combat the 22 accusers, further muddying the waters.

What's a rational explanation for one person to have gone to so many different massage therapists? Why isn't this a red flag?

No cameras, because recording video in this forum is illegal and no witnesses, because to this point, it is traditionally just masseuse and client in these sessions. No recourse other than simply speaking out, which was was just demonstrated to fall short of warranting charges.

It's chilling how easily someone can get away with a crime like the ones alleged by these women for lack of evidence. That does not mean Watson did what was alleged. It does, however, paint a believable picture of what someone could do, which in itself is unsettling. It suggests an understanding of right and wrong, planning ahead to reduce the chances of being caught.

For teams to be this fervent in their interest for Watson suggests they are either confident in his actions and character or they are only concerned with the ramifications. Hopefully it's the former with concrete reason to exonerate him, because the haste in which teams are acting at least suggests it's the latter.

Once a team makes that type of investment in a player, ignoring or rationalizing troubling behavior is often part of the package. Denying reality in pursuit of an end goal, hoping the issue will somehow resolve itself or that it will simply not reoccur under their watch, which only serves to empower the individual. Unfortunately, this is something the Browns have dealt with firsthand in the not so distant past with Kellen Winslow II.

Ignoring troubling behavior from a player they invested so much to get allowed Winslow to escalate. Needless, avoidable suffering occurred as a result and Winslow is now serving a 14-year prison sentence for sex crimes in Southern California including rape.

The Browns have to be certain about Watson the person, not simply playing the percentages, because getting this wrong in pursuit of winning a few extra football games could permanently damage the franchise.