Ex-Cowboys Star Feels Deshaun Watson’s $230 Million Contract Is the Primary Reason Why He Has Been Named Browns’ Starting QB Over Shedeur Sanders

Marcus Spears bluntly pointed fingers at the Cleveland Browns’ ownership for influencing head coach Todd Monken to select Deshaun Watson as the starting quarterback over Shedeur Sanders. Spears argued that the Browns’ ownership made a business decision, keeping Watson’s mammoth contract in mind.

The Browns gave up three first-round draft picks and additional late-round picks for Watson. However, he has missed over 40 games since making the switch for various reasons. Watson navigated through multiple lawsuits and injuries.

He posted a 9-10 record before entering rehab in 2024. Nearly twenty months later, Watson found himself locked in a quarterback battle with second-year signal-caller Shedeur Sanders.

Marcus Spears, on the Rich Eisen Show, argued that Sanders deserved the QB1 job. However, the Browns’ ownership stepped in and urged the coaching team to pick Watson, who still has one year left on his $230 million guaranteed contract.

Look, Shedeur Sanders should be the starter. One because you need to figure out if he can play at a very high level, and from a pragmatic standpoint, if he plays well and you still wanna move him on because you got those first-round picks, now you’ve increased value for a trade which would help your organization and franchise.

Marcus Spears said on the Rich Eisen Show on Monday

The former Dallas Cowboys defensive end continued:

But this is the ownership; this has nothing to do with Todd Monken or Andrew Berry. This is about $230 guaranteed to a player who was coming out of Houston with all of those allegations… Mentally, I think Deshaun is obviously wrecked.

Several women had come forward in 2021, accusing Watson of s*xually harassing them. It took Watson more than four years to settle the lawsuits filed against him. He never admitted it in the media, but the dip in his performances indicated that the legal battle had taken a toll on him.

The allegations dented the former Clemson star’s reputation. And the first to turn against him was the Browns fanbase. In 2024, Watson was on the floor, grimacing in pain. Instead of empathizing, the Browns fanbase booed him mercilessly while the medical team carted him off the field. Former Browns edge Myles Garrett rebuked the fanbase for their behavior, but the recent incident proved their views about the 30-year-old haven’t improved.

Last week, he was booed again during his first game in Cleveland since tearing his ACL. Watson snapped and claimed that the disrespect from the fans had gone too far. Shedeur sympathized with his veteran teammate, but the fans are the 12^th man of a club; if they don’t like someone, they will make sure to point that out verbally.

The recent press conference, standing up there and talking about the fans and his response to the fans… the tumultuous relationship that has ensued since he’s shown up there suggests he shouldn’t even be on the team.

Spears said

On Sunday, Monken told reporters that Watson’s press conference would not affect his decision in selecting the Browns’ starting quarterback. A day later, Watson was named the starter for the Browns week one clash in Florida against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Cincinnati Bengals icon shares his view on Shedeur Sanders losing the Browns QB1 job to Deshaun Watson

Former Cincinnati Bengals WR Chad Ochocinco Johnson had previously predicted that the Browns would select Watson as the starter over Sanders. Johnson reiterated the same on Monday’s episode of the Nightcap podcast.

Johnson said:

Mark my words, I haven’t been wrong yet. Since basketball season. I haven’t been wrong yet…  I knew all along for one reason that Deshaun was going to start, simply because of the money that’s owed to him this season.

The Browns play against the New England Patriots in the final preparation game. In the second week of September, they travel to EverBank Stadium to face off against fellow AFC side, the Jaguars.

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