Send in the clowns

No matter how you look at it, the Browns have backed themselves into a corner with regard to the Deshaun Watson circus. At this point, can't think of a better word to describe it.

When the Browns -- no, make that owner Jimmy Haslam III, whose fingerprints are all over the mess this has become -- targeted Watson late last season and then bribed him to come to Cleveland, they probably had no idea it would reach the current stage of uncertainty.

As it stands now, all parties involved in the matter await the ruling of Peter Harvey, Commissioner Roger Goodell's designee, to hear appeals by the National Football League and the league's Players Association on the initial ruling by former Federal Judge Sue L. Robinson of a six-game suspension for predatory sexual behavior.

Then what? In what appears to be a situation where the thinking heads in Berea did not think it through, the appeal by the NFL to that decision could wind up with Watson serving at least an indefinite suspension for what has been labeled "egregious sexual behavior." The NFL wants to make a precedent-setting statement.

Now the Browns might get lucky if Harvey in his role as a neutral observer chooses to increase the suspension to as many as 10 or 12 games. But just about everything surrounding the probable outcome strongly hints the arbiter will fall on the side of the league and dole out at least the entire 2022 season.

The clock is ticking. The speed with which Harvey arrives with his ruling is almost as important as the ruling itself. An extremely harsh penalty could leave the Cleveland quarterbacks room bereft of someone experienced enough to be successful with the offense.

That offense, at least on paper, ranks among the most dangerous in the league. If Watson has to sit out this season, that experience evaporates. I don't want to hear about how capable Jacoby Brissett is. He is a career backup. And with the Joshes (Dobbs and Rosen) behind him, yikes!

One would like to think the front office has thought about worst-case scenario and already formulated Plans B, C and D in the event Harvey moves in that direction. That means populate the quarterbacks room with as much experience as possible.

So what do they do? First of all, they need to be prescient. Cover all angles. Decide on what to do in the event this happens. And what to do in the event that happens. And hope Harvey, no matter which way he rules, is quick enough where any of the plans can be implemented just as quickly. 

With that in mind, the rage all around the NFL landscape these days suggests the Browns target quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, on the trading block by the San Francisco 49ers, who will go this season with pro sophomore Trey Lance.

The Niners will move him one way or the other, but reportedly keep him on the roster until the final cutdown later this month in hopes of trading him. They do not want to risk flat out cutting him and watch NFC West rival Seattle, which needs a quarterback, pick him up.

Garoppolo, still young at 30 and loaded with postseason experience, would be a terrific fill-in for Watson even if it's for just one season. He would a perfect bridge quarterback. The Browns have all kinds of trade capital with which to satisfy the 49ers. 

All of which falls into the "if" category. Harvey triggers the next step, hopefully as early as the end of this week. The only thing that would keep the circus going then is the NFLPA filing a lawsuit against the league if they don't agree with the ruling.