Deshaun Watson Is TAKING OVER The Browns' QB Battle

Despite Deshaun Watson's extensive injury history (19 games played out of 85 possible over five seasons, ACL tear, shoulder surgery, two Achilles tears) and a 4-12 record in his last good year (2020), he is expected to start for the Browns. This decision is heavily influenced by his $46 million salary and the owner's pride in their investment. Head coach Todd Monken, a first-time NFL head coach, is likely to defer to this top-down directive, even though Shedeur Sanders showed promise and rallied the team in his rookie season.

Skip Bayless states, 'It's going to be Deshaun Watson's job to lose... the owner wants him to play mainly because he's going to make $46 million and the owner's pride is on the line.' Rashad McCants adds, 'You're getting paid like the starter. You got to start off as the starter.'

Aaron Rodgers' declaration that the upcoming season will be his last is perceived as a strategic move to inspire his team. While he is 42 and his mobility has declined, his arm talent remains. The Steelers have significantly upgraded their roster, particularly on offense, with additions like Jeremy Bernard, Rico Dowdle, and Mike McCarthy as offensive coordinator. This 'last run' narrative aims to rally players and foster a 'legend's last run' mentality, similar to Peyton Manning's final Super Bowl season.

Cody Kessler notes Rodgers' definitive 'yes, this is it' response, contrasting it with previous speculative answers. Akheem Dent suggests, 'You kind of rally the troops that way a little bit... it's a little extra motivation for the guys... to be a part of a legend's last run.'

New Giants head coach John Harbaugh publicly declared his team's goal to 'kick the Cowboys' ass,' a bold statement aimed at galvanizing the fanbase and, more importantly, his locker room. Given the Giants' historical struggles against the Cowboys (16-2 in the last 18 games for Dallas), this rhetoric is designed to change the team's standard and culture. Harbaugh, a veteran coach with a Super Bowl ring and a strong track record, uses this as a building block for daily practice and instilling a winning mentality.

Harbaugh's quote, 'All I care about is tomorrow's practice... that'll be one more step in the direction of being a good enough football team to kick THE COWBOYS' ASS.' Skip Bayless highlights Harbaugh's credentials (180 regular season victories, 13 playoff wins, Super Bowl ring) as giving him the 'cachet to say what he said.'

Matthew Stafford's $55 million one-year extension is a direct result of his outstanding 2025 season, where he posted MVP-caliber numbers (4,700 yards, 46 TDs, 8 INTs) and led the Rams to the number one total and scoring offense. This performance, even at 38, indicates no immediate decline. However, the extension's short term and the recent drafting of Ty Simpson 13th overall create a potential future conflict, as Stafford's continued high-level play could delay Simpson's development or force him to sit for several years.

Cody Kessler details Stafford's 2025 stats and states, 'Matthew Stafford is worth every single penny of that contract... he's coming off one of the best seasons that we've seen from a quarterback in NFL history.' He also notes the 'conflict because they did just draft Ty Simpson in the first round last year.'

Joe Burrow expressed strong confidence in the Bengals' current roster, calling it the 'most talented' he's had and predicting a Super Bowl win. This optimism stems from significant improvements, particularly on the offensive line (retaining all five starters) and aggressive defensive acquisitions like Dexter Lawrence, Jonathan Allen, and Bryan Cook. The team believes these upgrades, combined with Burrow's health and elite receiving corps (Chase and Higgins), position them for a deep playoff run.

Joe Burrow states, 'I think this is the most talented roster that we've had since I've been here.' Kinsey highlights the offensive line retaining all five starters and 'crazy changes they've made on defense.' Akheem Dent interprets Burrow's statement as a 'Thank you for going to make some plays on defense.'

The notable absence of Jalen Hurts from A.J. Brown's wedding, attended by numerous other Eagles teammates, publicly confirms a significant and unresolved personal issue between the two. Their relationship, which reportedly soured three years prior, was never fully mended, despite their on-field success. This public snub indicates the severity of the rift, suggesting that Brown's departure from the Eagles is highly probable, as such discord between a quarterback and his primary target is detrimental to team chemistry.

Kinsey notes, 'You know who wasn't there is his former best friend, Jalen Hurts.' Skip Bayless explains, 'They had about 3 years ago a personal issue... that was so bad that the fence never quite got mended on A.J.'s part.' Akheem Dent concludes, 'If you ain't at that wedding, bro, then that speaks volumes to me... the relationship is done.'