MONDAY MORNING QUARTERBACK

And as of right now Trubisky is clearly losing the battle to Rudolph.

 

Well, if Trub's has all the first team reps, how can Mason be clearly ahead when he apparently hasnt ran the first team squad yet?

 

Because he is performing horribly. Rudolph is clearly playing better. The first team reps doesn’t mean squat because they are rotating players so much between first and second team that the only people really sticking to the first team and second team reps are the QBs. If you read the articles on Steelers depot they are saying that Rudolph is really way outperforming the other QBs.

 

which is how it should be since he is the only QB that has been in the system, let alone being in that system for 3 years. He could probably teach them the system better than the coaches at this point.

The difference really is in the QB skill set. If the arm is clearly better, one of the other QBs will still win the job, because the system is learned and improves weekly or daily.. at this point in Rudolph’s career, his arm is what it is… which is why they took a flyer on Trubisky and Pickett to begin with.

 

Deshaun Watson suspended six games

The long wait for word on Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson‘s suspension came on Monday morning.

PFT has confirmed that Judge Sue L. Robinson has ruled that Watson be suspended six games for violating the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy. Watson was accused of sexual misconduct and sued in civil court by more than 20 women who were hired to massage him while he was a member of the Texans ahead of this year’s trade to Cleveland.


No fine was issued as part of Robinson’s ruling.

The Browns play the Panthers, Jets, Steelers, Falcons, Chargers, and Patriots in their first six games of the season. Jacoby Brissett is expected to be the starting quarterback in Watson’s absence.

Watson has settled the cases with all but one of those women as of Monday morning, but the matter of his NFL suspension may not be a settled matter. Watson or the NFL could appeal the decision and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell would hear any appeal. Goodell could impose a longer suspension if he does hear an appeal.

The NFLPA issued a statement on Sunday suggesting Watson will not appeal and calling for the league to take the same approach.

PFT

 

lolol


The six-game suspension handed to Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson includes an apparently unprecedented condition: Watson can only get massages from therapists on the Browns’ staff.

That mandate from Judge Sue L. Robinson means that Watson can’t hire his own therapists, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Watson is accused of inappropriate sexual conduct with female massage therapists he hired.


All kinds of questions will come from this particular part of Robinson’s decision. The first is whether the discipline officer even has the authority to make such a ruling. Restricting a player from getting the treatment for an injury that he thinks is best is far beyond the typical scope of player discipline, which typically is limited to fines and suspensions.

It’s also hard to understand how such a ruling would be enforced. If Watson pulls a hamstring while working out on his own and asks his personal trainer to massage it, how would the NFL know about it, and what would the NFL do about it?

Robinson clearly wants to warn Watson not to get himself into the same kid of trouble that caused his six-game suspension. A suspension alone should have been enough to send that message.

PFT

 

Now let’s see if it ends here or does the NFL feel like that they need to make it more? 6 games seems small, maybe that’s how many inches Watson has so they decided it wasn’t too bad of an assault.

 

How would they find out? Because there is always somebody that will be watching him. Now I dont mean someone from the NFL or even the Browns but someone who will watch because they will want to catch him and shout "See I told you he would do it again" even if all he does is get a massage. There will be plenty of people wanting him to fail so they will watch.

 

Watson receives the most guaranteed money in NFL history. His contract only has 1M in salary the first year. They will not fine him a single cent. The Browns have the easiest schedule the first 6 weeks. Watson only gets a 6 game suspension.

If the NFL doesn't even try to appeal, I'm fairly certain the conspiracy talk will be begin.

 

Not sure what the source is, but I think you got duped? I haven't seen anything like that and I'm pretty sure that would not be allowed as part of the punishment. I believe suspension and fine are the two disciplinary options for the arbitrator.

 

Conspiracy about what? This is the first time in my lifetime the Browns didn't get the short end of the stick in these types of situations. The Browns are immune to the NFL helping them in any way.

 

It was reported on PFT that it was part of the mandate written by Sue Robinson and reported by Tom Pelissero of NFL network.

 

Wow... That seems like a personal rights issue there. I am actually shocked that was written into the statement. Also would be surprised if they could uphold that in a court of law, even if she is a former judge.

 

You are wrong. People sign non-compete clauses every day - is that also a personal rights issue, because you can't go work at another company?

It may be unusual, it does not make it unethical / unlawful.

 

NFL is reviewing Judge Robinson’s decision in the Deshaun Watson case, will decide on “next steps”

Now that Judge Sue L. Robinson has imposed a six-game suspension on Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, the ball is in the league’s court.

Will the NFL exercise its right to appeal the decision to the Commissioner of the NFL?

For now, the league has not answered the question. Here’s the statement from the league, issued moments ago: “We thank Judge Sue L. Robinson, the independent disciplinary officer, for her review of the voluminous record and attention during a three-day hearing that resulted in her finding multiple violations of the NFL Personal Conduct Policy by Deshaun Watson. We appreciate Judge Robinson’s diligence and professionalism throughout this process. Pursuant to the Collective Bargaining Agreement, the NFL or the NFLPA on behalf of Watson may appeal the decision within three days. In light of her findings, the league is reviewing Judge Robinson’s imposition of a six-game suspension and will make a determination on next steps.”

The NFLPA already has said it will accept Judge Robinson’s decision, and the union has called on the league to do so as well. While it eventually may, the league has yet to reach a decision.

PFT

 

A non-compete is something the person signed. She is adding something to the punishment that isn't addressed in the CBA or anywhere else in any agreement with the NFLPA or any individual player.

 

Not sure where it’s been posted Rudolph is far and away performing better than Trubisky. It’s been 4 practices, all without pads, all without the threat of being hit. Steelers Depot have made a point to say Rudolph has looked better, but there’s a long way to go and a lot of context needs to be added, like defenders dropping INTs. Long way to go before the battle is over. The PS games will do more to separate the QBs than TC practices.

Rudolph running with the 3’s today, that mean Pickett passed him up? Absolutely not, it’s the first padded practice

 

What will be interesting to follow is how the league handles these types of cases, for all league personnel (players and non players alike), moving forward given the statement by the judge at the end of the first paragraph.

 

Judge Robinson’s ruling on Deshaun Watson hinges on issue of “non-violent sexual assault”

On Monday, Judge Sue L. Robinson found, as to the factual allegations against Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson, that he did what the league accused him of doing. Her decision to suspend Watson only six games arose from separate considerations.

Specifically, she concluded that Watson engaged in a “non-violent sexual assault.” And she found, based on past precedent, that a non-violent sexual assault does not justify the kind of punishment the league sought.


At page 13 of her ruling, Judge Robinson writes that “prior cases involving non-violent sexual assault have resulted in discipline far less severe than what the NFL proposes here, with the most severe penalty being a 3-game suspension for a player who has been previously warned about his conduct.”

That player is, we’re told, Saints quarterback Jameis Winston. He was suspended three games to start the 2018 season, for touching an Uber driver “in an inappropriate and sexual manner without her consent.” Winston’s suspension was the result of a negotiated compromise between the league and the NFL Players Association.

Judge Robinson concluded that the league is attempting to dramatically increase the punishment for non-violent sexual assault “without notice of the extraordinary change” in the league’s approach. The league’s position is that the rules aren’t changing, but that the facts have changed. At page 12, Judge Robinson explained that the league characterizes its recommended punishment of a one-year suspension as “unprecedented . . . because his conduct is unprecedented.”

Basically, the league’s position is that it hasn’t changed the rules. The league’s position is that it’s applying existing rules to a set of fact it never before witnessed.

As to Winston’s three-game suspension, he had only one victim. Watson had four. The NFL interviewed 12 of the persons Watson allegedly assaulted, but he was sued by 24 different people — and settled with all but one of them. Although Judge Robinson managed to ignore these basic realities, most will have a hard time doing so.

And some will have a hard time distinguishing “non-violent” sexual assault from sexual assault. Sexual assault is still sexual assault. If anything, it appears that clumsy efforts in the past by the league to be lenient as to some players prevented the league from getting the ruling it wanted from Judge Robinson as to Watson.

That said, the league secured the factual findings from Judge Robinson necessary to permit the Commissioner or his designee to impose a much higher punishment, if the NFL appeals the ruling. Again, she concluded that Watson did what he was accused of doing. At this point, it would be a surprise if the league doesn’t appeal the decision to Goodell, and it would be a surprise if he doesn’t increase the suspension.

PFT