Three-time Pro Bowler Deshaun Watson made his return in time for the Cleveland Browns’ OTAs and minicamp after missing the entire 2025 season due to a re-ruptured Achilles that necessitated surgery. Watson is fighting for his job once again as Shedeur Sanders, who finished last season under center for the Browns, is providing stiff competition.
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During a recent segment on the “Speakeasy” show, two-time Super Bowl champion LeSean McCoy backed Watson to be the Browns’ starting quarterback due to his hefty contract.
“I did hear that Deshaun has been looking better,” McCoy said. “I heard Shedeur is looking great, too. So, that’s a tough one. I gotta go with the money though, if I’m an owner or head coach and one guy is making $40 million guaranteed this season. He’s probably gonna play. But I do say this, I think he’s gonna have a short leash.”
“Don’t be surprised if Shedeur gets some reps this season and plays,” McCoy added. “These guys both have agents, these guys both have egos, and ‘Look man, I’m a new coach to a new team, you both haven’t done well, and I’m giving you guys the opportunity to be the No. 1 QB… In his [Todd Monken] mind, he might know who the starter is, but it might change when he sees Shedeur go out there and be phenomenal.”
Watson signed a fully guaranteed, five-year, $230 million contract in March 2022. The veteran quarterback is due a mammoth $46 million payment in the last year of his highly criticized contract, which was the largest guaranteed contract in NFL history at the time of signing.
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During an appearance on “The Daily Grosi” podcast on Monday, ESPN analyst Jeremy Fowler revealed that coach Monken would hold off on naming a starter for the Browns ahead of his first season at the helm of the struggling franchise.
“It is a new head coach, there is not a lot of precedent,” Fowler said. “I get the sense Todd Monken wants to see a lot more. He wants to ride this out and maybe be uncomfortable with the noise for an extra week if he has to.”
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“I don’t think it is like there is a clear favorite we’ll name in two weeks, where Flacco, it was kind of expected because of his stature,” Fowler added. “Certainly, I think Deshaun Watson is well-positioned; I want to be clear on that. But it’s a race. It really is.”
Last season, Sanders had to fight his way up the depth chart after starting the season behind Joe Flacco and Dillon Gabriel. When he finally took over the Browns’ QB1, Sanders earned a PFSN QB Impact score of 56.7, ranking third-worst in the league.
