ESPN Reporter: Cleveland Browns ‘Are Living in Denial’ Starting Deshaun Watson in Preseason Opener

ESPN reporter Emily Kaplan blasted the Cleveland Browns as “living in denial” by starting quarterback Deshaun Watson in the team’s Friday preseason opener against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The NFL has appealed the six-game suspension handed down by federal judge Sue L. Robinson — the arbitrator assigned to the case – earlier this month for violating the NFL’s personal conduct policy. The NFL is seeking a season-long suspension for Watson, who has been accused of sexual misconduct. In relation to that, he has settled 20 civil lawsuits against him with four remaining and has not been criminally charged.

During Thursday’s First Take, Kaplan didn’t hold back in how she felt the Browns are handling Watson, who signed a 5-year, $230 million contract with the Browns with all that money being guaranteed.

“I feel like the Browns are living in denial because they’re living in their own world right now because of this contract that they gave him with all these millions of dollars of guarantees because they live in this bubble in Ohio where Deshaun Watson gets on the field at training camp, the fans are cheering for him and asking him for autographs,” she said.

Kaplan went on to accuse the Browns of taking quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who is set to start in Watson’s absence, “for granted.” She said that the Browns haven’t treated Brissett with respect and the team should let him take the reps in training camp since he’ll be the starter through Week 6 of the regular season.

Watch above, via ESPN.