The debate over who should start at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns just got one of its more unexpected participants.
Rashad McCants, the former NBA player and North Carolina standout, was asked to weigh in on the Browns quarterback competition, and he came down firmly on the side of Deshaun Watson.
“Who’s the better quarterback? Deshaun Watson is the better quarterback right now. Deshaun is the most polished player to put in that position right now, succeed or fail. You do know he can do it. Give him an opportunity because he’s done it,” McCants said.
Who is a better quarterback: Shedeur Sanders or Deshaun Watson? pic.twitter.com/aOo3SHiAgH
— The Arena: Gridiron (@ArenaGridiron) May 23, 2026
McCants is not a football analyst. He is a former NBA lottery pick who played for the Minnesota Timberwolves and other franchises after being selected 14th overall in the 2005 NBA Draft out of North Carolina. But his argument is essentially the same one that many voices of the football world have been making since OTAs began. Watson has done it before. You know what you are getting. The track record, at least before the injuries, is real.
Before the Achilles injuries, the suspensions, and the lost seasons in Cleveland, Watson was one of the more dynamic and productive quarterbacks in the NFL. His numbers with Houston from 2017 through 2020 were genuinely impressive. He completed over 67 percent of his passes across four seasons, threw for over 4,000 yards multiple times, made the Pro Bowl, and carried an underwhelming Texans roster further than it had any right to go.
Todd Monken recently praised Watson’s desire to battle and change the narrative. The momentum behind Watson as the starter has been building steadily for weeks.
McCants is simply the latest voice adding to that pile, and while his football credentials are not what you would normally look for in a quarterback evaluation, the core of his argument is echoing what many others are claiming. Watson has done it. The proof of concept exists.
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Rich Eisen Raises A Concern About Myles Garrett