The fog around Deshaun Watson and whether he can actually play for the Browns could begin to clear this summer.

His lawyer told Cleveland.com on Friday that he believes the NFL will announce its initial decision on discipline by June or July.

“We should know what their position is initially sometime in June, and then everybody will figure out if there’s going to be a hearing about it or can people work things out, or whatever,” Rusty Hardin told the outlet. “The only thing that’s certain is that they want to try to get everything done this summer — and earlier than later in the summer. Past that, we don’t really have any firm dates or possibilities.”

Hardin said he believes the league will want to talk to Watson again, which would be for a fourth time. According to the attorney, Watson was questioned three days this week in Houston about the 24 allegations of sexual misconduct made by massage therapists against Watson.

“This idea that [the NFL] hasn’t aggressively investigated this is totally, totally false as evidenced by the fact he’s already spent three days with them,’’ Hardin said. “They’ve obviously done a bunch of research and done a lot of work themselves and they say need to do some more.”

Two grand juries declined to indict Watson on criminal charges, but 22 massage therapists have filed civil suits against the former Texans star concerning sexual harassment and assault. Watson also admitted in a pre-trial deposition last week to sending an apologetic text to one of the massage therapists after she cried when their session ended. 

Despite the allegations surrounding Watson, the Browns traded for him and gave him a fully guaranteed, $230 million contract. It is still unclear whether Watson, who reportedly flew about 30 members of the Browns’ offense to the Bahamas this week for some team bonding and workouts, will be able to play this season.

If Hardin is correct, in June or July the initial judgment would be made, which will start a process that surely will include appeals.