'Many' assume Deshaun Watson will be placed on paid leave as lawsuits play out: report

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Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson is facing nearly two dozen civil lawsuits accusing him of sexual misconduct related to his alleged actions during massage therapy sessions.

Watson, as of yet, has not faced any discipline from the NFL or the Texans as the lawsuits remain pending in Harris County, Texas. Pro Football Talk shed some light on what the assumption is around the league about how the Watson case will play out.

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"Many league insiders and observers have assumed" the NFL will eventually place Watson on "paid leave" pending the result of the lawsuits, according to Pro Football Talk. The report outlined the jurisdiction NFL rules give Commissioner Roger Goodell in circumstances in which he may place a player on paid leave.

The first comes when a player is formally charged with a felony or a violent crime. The second is when an investigation may lead the commissioner to believe a player "may have" violated the league’s personal conduct policy, but the decision is not "guided by the same legal standards and considerations that would apply in a criminal trial."

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In the third instance, in cases relating to a "crime of violence" being alleged, the player in question could be placed on the Commissioner’s Exempt List while the league investigates and could be disciplined further pending on the results of the investigation.

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The NFL is investigating the allegations against Watson. The Texans star has not been charged with a crime but Houston police were investigating at least one complaint against him.