As the lawsuits mount, do the Browns believe Deshaun Watson?

A 23rd civil lawsuit was filed against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson alleging sexual misconduct last week. By the time you read this, that number could be 24.

Earlier this month, a pair of the accusers appeared on HBO’s Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel to detail their experiences with Watson. Those stories led to the 23rd woman filing suit.

They are not the only accusations. Sports Illustrated has investigated further accounts of sexual misconduct by Watson towards massage therapists who have chosen not to make their names public for fear of reprisal.

Watson has denied all the accusations. He has made it black and white: He’s telling the truth; the 23 accusers are lying. “I have never assaulted or disrespected or harassed any woman in my life,” Watson said at his introductory press conference following his trade to Cleveland.

Which raises the question: Do the Browns believe Deshaun Watson? It’s something that the team that handed him the richest contract in NFL history has yet to answer.

The Browns completed an internal investigation prior to trading five draft picks – including three first-rounders – for Watson, who they then gifted with a newly minted, record-breaking $250m contract. At Watson’s press conference, Browns’ general manager Andrew Berry said he was “comfortable” with the amount of work the team put into investigating the claims against Watson. He was not asked if he believed the accused or the accusers.

When combining the number of women who have brought civil or criminal complaints against Watson, those who have been independently verified but have not brought forward a legal complaint, and those who withdrew their claim once they learned their names would be made public, the total number of