King: NFL Exec Says Deshaun Watson's Historic Browns Contract 'Stinks to High Heaven'

Some NFL personnel were upset at Cleveland Browns owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam for giving  Deshaun Watson the richest guaranteed contract in history, per Peter King of NBC Sports.

"[It] stinks to high heaven," one NFL executive told King.

Cleveland gave up three first-round draft picks as part of a trade to acquire Watson from the Houston Texans. The two sides then agreed to a five-year, $230 million deal that is fully guaranteed.

The moves came Watson standing accused of sexual misconduct or sexual assault in 22 civil lawsuits. Two different grand juries in Texas have heard criminal complaints against the quarterback and declined to charge him.

The 26-year-old Watson could still be suspended by the NFL under the league's personal-conduct policy, although his new contract seemingly accounts for that. Any lost income due to suspension would come out of his $1.035 million base salary for 2022 rather than his $45 million signing bonus or $46 million salary for 2023. 

The Haslams released a statement following the trade in an attempt to address the concerns around Watson's acquisition:

While they said they conducted a "comprehensive evalutation" of the situation, the 22 women's attorney, Tony Buzbee, told John Barr of ESPN that no NFL teams spoke to any of the accusers.

The Browns were not the only team to discuss a deal for Watson this offseason. 

According to Jason Lloyd of The Athletic, 13 NFL teams showed interest in the three-time Pro Bowler, with discussions heating up after the first grand jury announced it wouldn't press charges. The Browns, Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Carolina Panthers were considered the finalists and all met with Watson.

Cleveland won the sweepstakes for Watson and will now await any word of potential punishment from the league.