Goodell: NFL doesn't have 'necessary' info to decide Watson's status

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell told reporters Tuesday that the league is lacking the necessary information to decide whether Deshaun Watson should go on the commissioner's exempt list.

Goodell said the NFL doesn't have "all the access" to the information obtained through legal inquiries and the police investigation regarding Watson.

"We pride ourselves in not interfering in that, being (as) cooperative as we can to make sure we get all the facts," Goodell said.

"That process is still ongoing and until ... we have enough data and enough information to be able to make a determination of whether he should go on commissioner exempt (list) - we don't feel we have that necessary information at this point."

Watson is facing lawsuits from 22 women who say he sexually assaulted them or committed sexual misconduct during massage sessions. Ten women have filed criminal complaints against Watson.

The Texans quarterback has been frequently linked in trade talks since asking out of Houston at the beginning of this past offseason. The Miami Dolphins are reportedly front-runners to land Watson. He has a no-trade clause, giving him the final say over his destination.

The expectation is that Watson, who's been made a healthy scratch through all seven weeks of the 2021 campaign, will be able to play as the civil cases and investigations by police and the NFL go on, barring new evidence or a criminal charge, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

However, Watson is subject to discipline under the NFL's personal conduct policy upon the conclusion of the investigation.

The NFL's trade deadline falls on Nov. 2.