rmcjacket23
Ravens Ring of Honor
Just FYI, the basis for the 12 game estimate is that they DON'T want the Texans/Browns game to happen with Watson playing. Watson would be back week 14, not week 13. He has to sit the bye week too, since its a 12 game suspension and not a 12 week suspension. 12 game suspension puts him back for weeks 14-18, playing five games.I think that people are forgetting that this isn't like Brady/Elliott. Nobody is actually asserting that Watson is "innocent" or that the process itself was "unfair" - just that the unprecedented suspension shouldn't be longer than every other suspension for horrible things players have done. I'm not convinced the NFLPA files suit against the NFL because (a) Weeks 1-6 are already locked in for the suspension and (b) I doubt the NFL extends the suspension to more than 12 games - to preserve that Texans-Browns Week 13 matchup. An appeal just drags it out and Watson wouldn't have anything to gain since he'll still be suspended during the time the appeal is probably being decided anyway. The personal conduct policy is super broad and gives the NFL pretty much unlimited power to suspend players as they see fit, but like you said - the NFLPA agreed to the policy and procedure, so I'm not sure what argument they'd make in court.
It's a bit of a conspiracy theorist thought process, but 12 makes at least a little sense.