Once seen as a first-round prospect, former Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders tumbled to the fifth round last year, where the Browns selected him 144th overall. He began the season as QB4, but after Joe Flacco and Kenny Pickett were traded, followed by a concussion to Dillon Gabriel, Sanders got the opportunity to start.
In eight games, Sanders completed 120 of 212 passes (56.6%) for 1,400 yards, with seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions, and rushed for 169 yards and one touchdown on 21 attempts. He posted an impact score of 56.7 on PFSN’s Quarterback Impact Metric(QBi), which ranked fourth-worst in the league. With Deshaun Watson now appearing healthy, Sanders could be headed back to the bench.
LeSean McCoy Believes Deshaun Watson Will Start Over Shedeur Sanders
The question in the offseason is whether Sanders can hold off a returning Watson. This potential move has caught the attention of Super Bowl champion LeSean McCoy, who weighed in on the situation.
According to McCoy, Watson is expected to start for the Browns.
“I got a lot of sources and connections over there, players, you know what I’m saying,” McCoy said. “They say Deshaun Watson [looks] good over there. I didn’t believe it though, he’s been so god damn bad, but they say he [Watson is] rolling right now. They say he rolling right now. I think with the new offense, new coach over there, things [are] looking different for him.”
“I got a lot of sources and connections over there, players, you know what I’m saying. They say Deshaun Watson looks good over there… and he’s going to start,” – @CutonDime25 on the Browns QB battle 😯😯😯
(via Speakeasy Pod) pic.twitter.com/wEEpSw6t7s
— ESPN Cleveland (@ESPNCleveland) May 19, 2026
McCoy clarified that he would actually prefer for Sanders to start, as he believes giving the Browns a young player brings hope for the future. However, based on his sources, Watson is expected to be the starting quarterback this year.
“I wanted Shedeur to play because he’s younger, he’s fresher, let’s see what he has to offer,” McCoy explained. “We’ve seen what Deshaun looked like when he left the Texans, but they say he’s looking good. They say this year he will look a lot better, and he’s going to start.”
Wanting to see the young guy play is obviously a common theory among NFL fans because it gives them hope. Watson, however, is someone who put together a fantastic start to his career before it was derailed by injuries and legal problems.
Watson was selected by the Texans with the 12th overall pick in the 2017 draft and quickly made an impact, starting his first game on his 22nd birthday. By his second season, he had the Texans in the playoffs and was named one of the NFL Top 100 Players for 2019, which led to a massive four-year, $177.5 million payday in 2020.
Off-field controversy and injuries led the Texans to trade Watson to the Browns in March of 2022.
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Due to injuries, Watson has made just 19 career starts in Cleveland and missed all of last season after tearing his Achilles tendon in 2024.
As the season approaches, the spotlight is on Watson to prove he can reclaim his early-career brilliance. If McCoy’s predictions are right, all eyes will be on Cleveland to see if Watson can truly deliver on his high potential and lead the Browns into a new era.
