Browns Trade Quarterback Kenny Pickett to Raiders
Kenny Pickett is packing his bags again. The former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round pick who somehow collected a Super Bowl ring as a backup in Philadelphia last season has found himself traded for the second time in six months. This time, the Las Vegas Raiders are rolling the dice on the 26-year-old quarterback, sending a 2026 fifth-round pick to Cleveland for his services.
Browns Cut Bait After Disappointing Camp Performance
Let’s be honest here. When you lose a quarterback competition to 40-year-old Joe Flacco, it might be time for some serious self-reflection. Pickett arrived in Cleveland this spring with legitimate hopes of winning the starting job, but a hamstring injury at the worst possible moment derailed those plans faster than a Browns playoff run.
The injury kept Kenny Pickett sidelined long enough for Flacco to seize control of the competition and never look back. While Flacco was busy throwing touchdowns in preseason games, Pickett was watching from the sidelines, probably wondering how his career turned into a game of musical chairs.
Cleveland’s decision to move on from Pickett isn’t entirely surprising. With two promising rookies in Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders backing up Flacco, the Browns clearly felt they had enough depth without carrying a veteran who couldn’t stay healthy when it mattered most.
Raiders Address Urgent Need After O’Connell Injury
Meanwhile in Las Vegas, desperation makes for interesting bedfellows. The Raiders weren’t exactly shopping for quarterbacks until Aidan O’Connell broke his wrist in the preseason finale against Arizona. Suddenly, the team that thought they had their backup situation figured out found themselves one injury away from complete disaster behind starter Geno Smith.
Enter Pickett, stage left. Again.
The Raiders brass probably wasn’t expecting to make any moves at quarterback this late in the process, but O’Connell’s six-to-eight week timeline forced their hand. Trading for Pickett gives them a veteran option who at least has some starting experience and, let’s not forget, a Super Bowl ring from his time riding the bench in Philadelphia.
The Journeyman Quarterback’s Unusual Path
Here’s where things get genuinely weird in the Kenny Pickett saga. This trade makes him one of only two players in the last 30 years to be dealt three or more times within their first four NFL seasons. The other? Sam Howell, who coincidentally just got moved yesterday. At least Pickett can console himself with that shiny championship ring Howell doesn’t have.
Think about that for a second. We’re talking about a guy who was drafted 20th overall just three years ago, started 24 games for the team that selected him, and has now been shuffled around the league like a deck of cards. His NFL journey reads like someone playing franchise mode in Madden and getting bored every few months.
Pittsburgh to Philadelphia to Cleveland to Las Vegas. That’s a lot of playbooks to memorize and a lot of apartments to find.
What This Means for Both Teams Moving Forward
For the Raiders, this move represents damage control more than anything else. They needed a warm body who could theoretically step in if Smith gets hurt, and Kenny Pickett fits that bill. Whether he can actually learn their system in time to be effective remains to be seen, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
The Browns, meanwhile, are apparently comfortable rolling with their rookie duo as backup options. Gabriel and Sanders both showed flashes in preseason action, and Cleveland clearly believes their upside outweighs keeping an injury-prone veteran around.
The Bottom Line on Pickett’s Latest Stop
Let’s call this what it is: Kenny Pickett has become the NFL’s version of a rental car. Functional when you need it, but nobody’s getting too attached. The Raiders are hoping he can provide stability behind Smith, while Pickett is probably just hoping to find a place where he can stick around for more than one season.
At this point, Pickett’s agent deserves hazard pay for all the moving expenses. But hey, at least he’s got that Super Bowl ring to show for all the chaos. Not everyone can say they’ve been part of a championship team, even if their contribution was mostly moral support and clipboard holding.
The Raiders better hope this gamble pays off, because if Smith goes down, they’re trusting their season to a guy who couldn’t beat out Joe Flacco for a starting job. Sometimes the NFL really is stranger than fiction.
