Sports analyst Stephen A. Smith has shared his latest take on the quarterback debate at Cleveland Browns. The analyst backed moving ahead with Deshaun Watson during the Thursday episode of his talk show, First Take.

“I think it’s wise, because I think Monken (Browns’ HC) knows he can always go back to Shedeur Sanders," the analyst said on the podcast's X post. "He can't let go of Deshaun Watson and then come back and then course-correct... I think it's best for the organization and the city to give Deshaun Watson every last chance imaginable to justify that bag that he got.”

Deshaun Watson entered Cleveland in 2022 with a five-year, $230 million contract in hand. His contract was once the largest guaranteed deal in NFL history with a $4.9 million signing bonus and an annual salary of $46 million. Undoubtedly, expectations were high.

While this figure may seem steep, Watson did have a league as well as career-high 4,823 passing yards in his 2020 season alongside 33 passing scores despite being sacked nearly 50 times.

So far, through all four seasons with the Browns, the 30-year-old has had an average performance. The 19 games he’s played saw him register around a 61% completion rate with 3,365 passing yards and 19 TDs with 12 interceptions.

Watson’s contract runs through till 2026, making this his last year to prove his worth and justify his price tag. Smith believes that the QB must be given a chance, considering this is his last season.

“Once upon a time, Watson wasn’t just the number one, but also the face of the franchise and an absolute star,” the analyst further said.

At the Houston Texans, at the peak of his powers in 2020, the quarterback managed to take his franchise to the playoffs, eventually losing to the Kansas City Chiefs in the divisional round.

Now, with no playoff appearance for the Browns thus far, surely Watson would want to show everyone what he's capable of this 2026 season.

Smith sees a lot of hidden potential in the quarterback. In fact, he's not the only one backing Watson for the upcoming season.

Deshaun Watson Has an Edge Over Shedeur Sanders, as per Browns’ insiders

Mary Kay Cabot, the Browns’ inside reporter has claimed that Watson led the QB race during the Browns’ minicamp. The Browns’ EVP, JW Johnson, also shared his thoughts about Watson during an interview with a sports channel.

“Deshaun looks great, by the way. He’s done a good job and is healthy,” said Johnson. “If he’s our starting quarterback, I know there will be people who probably won’t be supportive, but they should be supportive as much as they can. If he plays great, then awesome. If not, we’ll look ahead to the future.”

The Browns may want to give Watson one final chance to lead the team. Alternatively they could hand the responsibility to last year's rookie Shedeur, Sanders.

Under new head coach Todd Monken, it will be interesting to see how the 2026 season pans out for both quarterbacks. Who do you think the Browns should choose as their QB1?

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Written by

Naomi Grace

Edited by

Aadesh Dhote