Browns QB Deshaun Watson begins serving 11-game suspension

It was learned during the preseason portion of the calendar that the NFL and NFL Players Association had reached a settlement that resulted in Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson receiving an 11-game suspension and $5 million fine related to allegations of sexual misconduct during massage sessions. 

Watson was eligible to participate in football activities through August and temporarily handled scout-team duties but had to leave the Browns' facility to begin serving the ban by 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday afternoon. According to Tom Withers of the Associated Press, the 26-year-old was seen driving away from the club's building roughly an hour before that deadline. 

Per the terms of the agreement, Watson cannot have any contact with Browns personnel until he becomes eligible to return to the team's facility on Oct. 10. He could resume practicing on Nov. 14 and potentially make his official Browns debut in Week 13 at the Houston Texans, his former employer, on Dec. 4. 

Houston traded Watson to Cleveland in March after the three-time Pro Bowl selection sat through the 2021 campaign following an offseason trade request. 

As the NFL's website previously noted, Watson's status is still at least somewhat up in the air because the previously mentioned settlement "requires compliance with a professional evaluation and treatment plan." Watson reportedly began mandatory counseling at some point over a week ago. 

By all accounts, the Browns never came close to acquiring a proven commodity such as Jimmy Garoppolo of the San Francisco 49ers this summer and instead will have backup Jacoby Brissett start in Watson's absence. However, it's possible the revised contract Garoppolo and the 49ers agreed to at the start of the midweek could make it easier for the Browns to land the 30-year-old before the fall trade deadline.