Mike Kadlick#16 of 87 NFL pundits · Aug 23, 2026
After a poor preseason showing, Kadlick suggests Deshaun Watson's time in Cleveland is nearly over, while framing Shedeur Sanders as ascendant in the Browns' QB competition. They also describe AD Mitchell as settling in as the Jets' No. 2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson and states Saquon Barkley is clearly the Eagles' starting running back.
Published in writing · Sports IllustratedRead the original
What Mike Kadlick said
our reading, beside the words we read it fromNeedless to say, it’s becoming harder and harder to imagine a world in which Watson is a member of the Browns for much longer.
- Where it was published
- Sports Illustrated
- The piece
- Risers and Fallers From NFL Preseason Week 2: How Deshaun Watson May Have Coughed Up Browns’ QB1 Job
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- 1Saquon Barkley to be 1st on the depth chart“The Eagles’ starting running back is Saquon Barkley. That much is clear.”
- 2Deshaun Watson to move to Cleveland Browns“Needless to say, it’s becoming harder and harder to imagine a world in which Watson is a member of the Browns for much longer.”
- 3Adonai Mitchell to be 2nd on the depth chart“so far throughout training camp has looked like a quality No. 2 wide receiver behind Garrett Wilson”
Box score
HitCloseMissWaiting| Verdict | Call | Kind | What happened | Score | Naive | Skill |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saquon Barkley to be 1st on the depth chart1 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Deshaun Watson to move to Cleveland Browns2 | Trade and Signing Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| Adonai Mitchell to be 2nd on the depth chart3 | Depth Chart Calls | — | — | — | — | |
| 3 calls · 3 waiting | — | — | ||||
How each call scored
3 checkable claims — 2 depth chart calls and 1 trade and signing call — each graded on its own rather than as one all-or-nothing call.
It names 6 players and teams, each linked to their own record.
None of them have settled yet — they grade once their results are in.
Of the 2 unsettled calls enough other pundits have weighed in on, this one lands below the rest of the room on every one.
Each call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same calls; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Where this call stands in the room
Adonai Mitchell · 2026 season8 calls from 7 pundits between 2 and 3. Mike Kadlick said 2. the room's median is 2. not settled yet
Every dot is a call somebody published on the same question. Where the dots land says where this take sits, not whether it is right — nothing here is settled yet. Hover a dot for the name and number; click it to read that take.
Their call against the room
Their call against everyone else's, while this is still unsettled.
1Depth Chart CallsSaquon BarkleyPhiladelphia Eagles
Saquon Barkley to be 1st on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
2Trade and Signing CallsDeshaun WatsonCleveland Browns
Deshaun Watson to move to Cleveland Browns
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
3Depth Chart CallsAdonai MitchellNew York Jets
Adonai Mitchell to be 2nd on the depth chart
VerdictWaitingNot settled yet. This is graded once the result is in.
Who this take is about
Others on the same people
Rich Eisen · Trade and Signing Calls · Myles Garrett · Hit 100
Discussing Myles Garrett's trade request, Eisen said they expect Garrett to get their way and be moved out of Cleveland rather than stay, which is why staying would be shocking.Rich Eisen · Trade and Signing Calls · Aaron Rodgers · Miss 0
Eisen ranked their top five most impressive Pro Bowl campaigns of the season, topped by Sam Darnold, and predicted that Sunday would be Aaron Rodgers' last game with the Jets.Doug Joubert · Score Predictions · Cleveland Browns · Miss 26
Joubert picks the Browns to win 28-17, saying the Saints haven't improved over the first half of the season despite Cleveland starting Shedeur Sanders.Pat McAfee · Game Outcome Picks · Cleveland Browns · Miss 0
McAfee picked the Browns, with Shedeur Sanders starting, to beat the Saints in New Orleans.Michael Moore · Depth Chart Calls · Shedeur Sanders · Hit 100
In a Week 9 injury roundup, Moore forecast which banged-up fantasy contributors would play or sit: Deshaun Watson, Garrett Wilson, David Montgomery, Mike Evans, Deebo Samuel, TreVeyon Henderson and Terrance Ferguson are expected out, while Travis Kelce, Saquon Barkley, Michael Wilson, Christian Watson and Emeka Egbuka should play. They also expect Shedeur Sanders and Drew Lock to start at quarterback.Garrett Podell · Game Outcome Picks · Philadelphia Eagles · Miss 0
Podell predicts the Eagles, behind new starting quarterback Joe Milton III, snap their six-game losing streak by upsetting the first-place Giants in Week 9.
More depth chart calls
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Nic Bodiford · Depth Chart Calls · Joe Fagnano · Hit 100
Previewing Week 9 running game matchups, Bodiford expects Jacksonville to win lopsidedly over a depleted Baltimore team, with Bhayshul Tuten sitting out and Chris Rodriguez taking over as lead back, while Joe Fagnano starts at quarterback for the Ravens. They also view Broncos rookie Jonah Coleman as an RB2 going forward.Jacob Herlin · Depth Chart Calls · J.J. McCarthy · Hit 100
Herlin published Week 7 fantasy D/ST rankings with projections for 28 team defenses, led by Houston, Minnesota and Cleveland. They also expect Cleveland to post a fourth straight top-10 fantasy defense result, and predicts Jalon Daniels starts another week for Tampa Bay while J.J. McCarthy takes over as the Giants' starter.