Overview of Browns Should Start Shedeur, From The NFL Back To…College? JJ McCarthy Is A Bust, Seahawks Underrated?
This episode is a wide-ranging NFL and college football conversation centered on quarterback evaluation, roster building, and how quickly reputations can change in the NFL. The biggest themes are Cleveland’s messy QB situation, skepticism about J.J. McCarthy, the case for the Seahawks being underrated, and how NIL/transfer-portal rules are creating strange incentives in college football.
Browns: Why Colin Thinks Shedeur Sanders Should Start
Deshaun Watson is viewed as a dead end
- Colin is extremely down on Deshaun Watson, calling him a poor quarterback and arguing he lacks self-awareness and leadership traits.
- He believes Watson has become toxic to the Browns fan base both on and off the field.
- The contract is the only thing keeping him on the roster; if financially possible, Colin thinks Cleveland would move on immediately.
Why Shedeur Sanders is the better option right now
- Colin says he would have a hard time not starting Shedeur Sanders.
- His argument is less about wins and losses and more about:
- giving the fan base someone more likable,
- starting a younger player with upside,
- and acknowledging that Cleveland is not a championship team anyway.
- He believes Shedeur showed enough in college to deserve a real NFL shot and could benefit from reps in a less pressure-filled environment.
Cleveland may actually be a decent landing spot
- Despite the dysfunction, Colin thinks the Browns have quietly improved their offensive talent.
- He sees enough pieces around the QB to make Shedeur’s situation more favorable than Colorado was:
- better coaching,
- a better offensive line,
- and more legitimate skill talent.
- His broader point: Shedeur was judged in college without enough respect for how poor Colorado’s supporting cast was.
J.J. McCarthy: Strong Skepticism, Possible Bust Concerns
Colin sees major technical issues
- Watching McCarthy alongside Shedeur, Colin says McCarthy has:
- poor touch,
- too much velocity on simple throws,
- robotic mechanics,
- and limited feel as a passer.
- He compares quarterback accuracy/touch to a pitcher’s ability to locate: if you can’t place the ball, you can’t survive.
Not enough evidence that the Vikings picked the right guy
- Colin argues Minnesota may have simply chosen the wrong quarterback in that class.
- He says McCarthy’s college offense did not ask him to do enough, which makes the NFL transition even harder.
- If Kevin O’Connell, a coach known for quarterback development, can’t unlock him, that’s a bad sign.
Backup QB warning
- Colin goes so far as to say McCarthy may not even be a reliable backup right now.
- He suggests Minnesota’s backup quarterback situation matters more than usual because injuries across the league make every QB room important.
Seahawks: Colin’s Case for an Underrated Contender
Seattle is better than the league seems to think
- Colin believes the Seahawks are much closer to elite than people realize.
- He points to:
- Sam Darnold’s resurgence,
- Jaxon Smith-Njigba,
- Devon Witherspoon,
- and strong team chemistry.
Why the roster is being overlooked
- Seattle only has a few players in the NFL’s top-100 conversation, but Colin thinks that understates how good the team is collectively.
- He praises John Schneider’s drafting and notes Seattle replaced key departures effectively.
- He also sees Darnold as a better quarterback than the public perception suggests, especially because he is:
- physically talented,
- well-liked in the locker room,
- and more stable than he used to be.
NFC West makes the Seahawks’ case more impressive
- Colin notes Seattle plays in a tough division with Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan.
- Even so, he thinks Seattle has the roster and coaching to be a real Super Bowl threat.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals: Pressure Is Building
Burrow is under real scrutiny
- Colin says Joe Burrow is once again under pressure to produce after another year of disappointment and injury.
- He believes Burrow’s side interests, especially fashion, reflect a kind of self-protective detachment from Cincinnati frustration.
Cincinnati has invested heavily in him
- Unlike some quarterbacks who could blame their teams, Colin argues the Bengals have spent heavily to support Burrow.
- He cites moves like keeping Tee Higgins and building around the offense as evidence that Cincinnati has done its part.
The big issue: health and consistency
- Burrow’s ability to stay on the field is the key storyline.
- Colin’s view is that if Burrow stays healthy and the Bengals still miss the playoffs, the organization could be forced into major changes.
College Football: The Strange New World of Returning to School
NFL training-camp cuts can now go back to college
- The hosts discuss the bizarre new reality in which players who get cut from NFL camps can return to college football via NIL opportunities.
- Colin thinks this feels wrong and gross on its face, but he acknowledges that the courts and the current system have created this outcome.
Lane Kiffin is following the rules, not making them
- Colin defends coaches like Lane Kiffin, arguing they are simply operating within the rules created by the courts and the NCAA’s failures.
- The bigger problem, he says, is that the NCAA keeps losing in legal challenges and has lost control of the system.
Risk/reward for players
- A player may earn more money returning to school, but there’s also risk:
- injury,
- losing NFL momentum,
- or falling out of favor with a college staff.
- Colin thinks the system will create more stories where players choose the NFL path anyway, especially if they are close to making a roster.
Colin’s Bigger Football Takeaway: Talent Is Everywhere, Drafting Is Hard
Preseason reveals how many good players go unnoticed
- Colin says he’s always amazed by how many undrafted or late-round players turn out to be good.
- Watching preseason reinforces his belief that talent evaluation is incredibly difficult.
Quarterback hit rates are extremely low
- He cites a rough hit rate on drafted quarterbacks over the last several drafts and argues that finding a true franchise QB is one of the hardest jobs in sports.
- The message: teams miss often, and one bad QB swing can set a franchise back for years.
Development and fit matter more than labels
- He repeatedly points to examples like Brock Purdy, Sam Darnold, and late-round linemen to show that:
- college pedigree is not everything,
- mechanics and coaching matter,
- and some players simply need the right environment.
NFL Team Tiers Colin Highlighted
“Valedictorians”
- Rams
- Seahawks
“Dean’s List”
- Lions
- Bills
- Chargers
- Texans
- Bears
“Upperclassmen”
- Eagles
- Chiefs
- Ravens
Main Takeaways
- Cleveland should seriously consider starting Shedeur Sanders because Watson is viewed as broken, unpopular, and unlikely to rebound.
- J.J. McCarthy is under heavy scrutiny; Colin thinks his mechanics and touch are major red flags.
- Seattle is a legitimate Super Bowl sleeper because of coaching, chemistry, and underrated talent.
- Joe Burrow and the Bengals are under pressure to turn talent into sustained playoff success.
- College football’s NIL/portal era is creating absurd loopholes, including the possibility of NFL camp cuts returning to school.