The league being the league, who knows what they will do with this. All we know for a fact is they have been very consistent in their inconsistency. I still think that if they just put Brown on the exempt list, they will be opening up a can of worms for any potential incidents. As an example, let's just day for argument's sake they put Brown on the exempt list and he can't play but still gets paid. Now the threshold and precedent would be set on how the league reacts to these situations . . . accusations in a civil suit without any involvement by the police (at least there doesn't appear to be) can get players taken off the field.
Let's go off the board and say Peyton Manning was still playing on DEN and his team made the post season. Say the Broncos had to play the Titans in the playoffs. Now let's say Peyton's trainer from Tennessee that week filed a civil suit alleging Peyton assaulted her. (Remember, I am not making up an alleged incident with a trainer here.) Under previous precedent, wouldn't the league then have to put Peyton on the exempt list? Or change Peyton to Jameis Winston. and let's say another woman says he groped her, assaulted her, fondled her, etc. Does he get yanked off the field just because she accuses him?
The other issue I have with the exempt list is that it's usually way worse than being suspended. A first time DV or assault suspension is supposed to carry a 6 game suspension. I heard some legal talking heads interviewed lst night that said civil cases if played out fully in court could go on for 18 months to 36 months. I don't see how it would be appropriate to just tell someone he couldn't play pending the resolution of a civil case that took 3 years. IMO, the most anyone should have to serve on the exempt list would be the same 6 games that he would serve had he just been suspended. On top of that, the other problem is a guy could spend months on the exempt list and THEN be suspended. I would add a 6 weeks max rule for cases like this and then let him play even if the case was still on going. If it turns out there were grounds for an unpaid suspension, fine him / dock the money after he already sat the 6 games. It would work out the same as if he had a regular suspension (ie missed 6 games, lost 6 game checks).