One other day, one other Kenny Pickett relocation. Days after suggesting they have been ready to hold 4 quarterbacks into the 2025 NFL season, the Cleveland Browns have already stated goodbye to 2, releasing Tyler Huntley after which, on Monday evening, buying and selling Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2026 fifth-round draft decide.
Pickett’s abrupt exit marks the second time he is been traded for the reason that finish of the 2024 season, and the third time within the final two years alone. He was the primary quarterback added by the Browns this offseason, acquired not lengthy after he took the ultimate snaps of Tremendous Bowl LIX because the backup to the Philadelphia Eagles‘ Jalen Hurts. A hamstring damage sidelined Pickett for the thick of the Browns’ quarterback competitors, nevertheless, leaving rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders to again up Joe Flacco.
What can we study from Pickett’s bounce across the NFL? Here is what every of his three trades can inform us about his present and former groups, in addition to what the longer term holds for the previous first-round draft decide’s profession:
Commerce No. 1: Steelers to Eagles (2024)
Pickett’s first transfer got here in simply his third offseason as a professional, and simply two years after Pittsburgh chosen him twenty second total within the 2022 NFL Draft. And this one is probably essentially the most sophisticated of his three trades. That is as a result of Pickett was a reported catalyst for the change of surroundings, requesting a contemporary begin after feeling the Steelers misled him concerning the likelihood to compete for a beginning alternative with free agent addition Russell Wilson.
Loads argued Pickett ought to’ve stood pat and easily confirmed to Steelers brass he might beat out an ageing Wilson. Others noticed Pickett as justified in his frustrations, watching because the Steelers saddled their face of the franchise with poor safety, middling weapons and a much-maligned play-caller in Matt Canada. One factor’s indeniable after the very fact: The Steelers rapidly granting Pickett’s request advised us they have been not concerned about ready round for a difference-maker to develop below heart. They ended up buying and selling for Justin Fields lower than a month later, then let each Fields and Wilson stroll for an much more speedy gamble on the place: 41-year-old present starter Aaron Rodgers.
Commerce No. 2: Eagles to Browns (2025)
Maybe no NFL crew embraces quarterback tasks just like the Eagles, who solely unearthed Jalen Hurts by risking alienation of predecessor Carson Wentz, and naturally solely gained their first Tremendous Bowl by leaning upon a backup in Nick Foles. Pickett represented a low-risk swing at low-cost however skilled depth behind Hurts in 2024, and for essentially the most half, Pickett did his job effectively in inexperienced, successful his lone official begin rather than Hurts whereas almost guiding a shootout victory in one other recreation. So why, then, did the Eagles really feel the necessity to ship him off to Cleveland only a month after he took the sector in aid of Hurts to shut the Tremendous Bowl?
As a result of he was at all times set as much as be an asset-flip in Philly. Until Hurts had suffered a catastrophic damage and he’d taken over with gusto, Pickett’s path within the Metropolis of Brotherly Love was destined to be considered one of reclamation — figuratively, for his profession, but in addition actually, by way of the Eagles recouping draft picks in an inevitable commerce to a needier crew. Pickett left the Steelers as a result of he wished to begin, keep in mind, so even he behind closed doorways assuredly welcomed an opportunity to reclaim a high gig elsewhere. Much more than this, his fast transfer to Cleveland was proof of the Eagles’ religion in present No. 2 Tanner McKee, who displayed pristine poise and precision as a pure pocket passer in restricted motion from 2023-2024.
Commerce No. 3: Browns to Raiders (2025)
The most recent Pickett commerce is sort of simply essentially the most damning by way of what the NFL at massive thinks of his capability for incomes, not to mention sustaining, a beginning job. It is one factor to get caught in a numbers recreation. It is one other factor to fail to separate from a 40-year-old Joe Flacco and two rookies, together with one fifth-round flyer, in an open competitors for arguably essentially the most quarterback-desperate franchise within the league. Pickett’s summer time hamstring damage deserves a bit of the blame; it worn out his preseason availability. However the truth he could not do sufficient previous to the damage to even justify the Browns retaining him as a short- or long-term choice speaks to how rapidly he is turn into one thing of an afterthought journeyman.
Certain, the Raiders have been abruptly very needy below heart, with backup Aidan O’Connell banged up and Geno Smith left with solely rookie Cam Miller to again him up. However the Browns might’ve simply stored 4 quarterbacks — make it 5 – 6 — in the event that they believed every of them had even a morsel of franchise-caliber juice. They wanted simply 5 months and nil video games to find out Pickett did not belong. And we will not actually argue coach Kevin Stefanski does not know ball after he squeezed a playoff bid from Flacco a couple of years again. The rookies additionally deserve some credit score right here, as a result of if Dillon Gabriel hadn’t ended the preseason with decisive pocket passing and Shedeur Sanders hadn’t opened it with composure, perhaps Pickett would’ve caught round by default. Now Cleveland is free to see what it has in its youthful developmental expertise if/when Flacco cannot maintain up.
What’s subsequent for Kenny Pickett?
Effectively, issues are fairly darn bleak in the intervening time. It is laborious to spin it in any other case if you’ve been dumped by three completely different groups, together with two with clear quarterback wants, in two years. It is pretty protected to say at this juncture that Pickett, whereas scrappy in some clutch moments to open his short-lived Steelers tenure, is squarely backup materials. And loads of people arrived at that conclusion years in the past. As for whether or not redemption is feasible in Las Vegas, effectively, it’s. That is mainly as a result of Geno Smith is not a spring hen at 34. And coach Pete Carroll needs to compete proper now. If Smith goes down at any level, Pickett may actually have a clearer path to an prolonged beginning gig than he would’ve in Cleveland, with two rookies respiratory down his neck.
He is additionally higher arrange for achievement in Las Vegas. Whereas the Browns are in clear rebuild mode, that includes outcasts like Diontae Johnson as beginning weapons, the Raiders have their eyes on a minimum of a wild-card bid below their new workers. And their offensive lineup is now outfitted with two potential younger cornerstones in Ashton Jeanty and Brock Bowers. Does it imply Pickett has what it takes to raise the group? That’d be fairly a revelation for the maligned quarterback, based mostly on what we have seen to this point. However the carousel has to cease someplace. Perhaps, simply perhaps, it’s going to be with the silver and black.
Grading the commerce
Browns: B+
It’d’ve been good to really see Pickett in a recreation earlier than dumping him utterly. However they actually drafted two quarterbacks after buying him this offseason. And each rookies confirmed promise at completely different factors this preseason. Why not get a head begin on clearing the runway for his or her respective debuts? Getting something for Pickett after his injury-riddled summer time can be a light victory.
Raiders: B
Look, they are not giving up a lot. And so they’re not asking Pickett to begin. So it is actually a low-risk transfer for a man with a stable handful of begins on the NFL degree. Is Pickett reliable for the lengthy haul? We do not know that. However is he equally as dependable as, say, Aidan O’Connell when the latter is wholesome? In all probability. It is a very effective swing for the Raiders to take to handle a sudden gap.
