Just because Kenny Pickett doesn’t seem like he’s going to be the opening day starter at quarterback for the Cleveland Browns doesn’t mean he doesn’t have quit a bit of value elsewhere.
Pickett, currently part of one of the messiest quarterback situations in recent NFL memory in Cleveland, was traded from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Browns in March after winning a Super Bowl as Philly’s backup in 2024.
He’s also valuable trade bait for any team with injury issues at starting quarterback thanks to his first round pedigree and starting experience — he was a full time starter for the Steelers for 2 seasons and filled in dutifully for Jalen Hurts when he was injured last year.
Bleacher Report’s Alex Kay put Pickett at the top of his list of the most notable NFL players who could be traded before the season begins, singling out the Los Angeles Rams with injured starter Matthew Stafford as a prime landing spot for Pickett.
Pickett has been injured for much of training camp and didn’t even play in the preseason opener, where Sanders shined in his first NFL start.
The Browns currently have 6 quarterbacks on the roster with Pickett, Sanders, third round pick Dillon Gabriel, Tyler Huntley, former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco and Deshaun Watson, who will be out all of 2025 with an Achilles tendon injury.
“A hamstring injury hasn’t helped the 27-year-old’s chances of rejuvenating his career,” Kay wrote on August 13. “With head coach Kevin Stefanski recently revealing Gabriel has been cleared to return from his hamstring injury while Pickett remains limited to 7-on-7 drills, the 2022 first-round pick is starting to look like the odd man out in this four-way QB competition … With injuries to the likes of Anthony Richardson and Matthew Stafford opening up opportunities around the league, teams desperate for a passer with starting experience might be willing to roll the dice on Pickett’s upside.”
Pickett will be in the final season of his 4-year, $14 million rookie contract in 2025.
Pickett Seemed Determined to Start in Cleveland
In the 6 weeks after the Browns traded for Pickett they added 3 more quarterbacks — drafting Sanders and Gabriel and signing Flacco as a free agent.
Pickett seemed undeterred from his goal of becoming an NFL starting quarterback again.
“That’s the plan, man (to start),” Pickett, a Pittsburgh native, told The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Jerry DiPaola. “I’m not going there to hang out. I want to go play. I’m excited, been working hard for it, taking it a day at a time … Total respect for Joe, what he’s done and I’m excited to get to work with him, too.”
Cleveland Desperate To Find Right Quarterback
Both Flacco and Pickett seemed like upgrades over Watson.
Since Cleveland sent their first round picks in 2022, 2023 and 2024 to the Houston Texans in exchange for Watson in March 2022, he’s missed large chunks of time for 3 consecutive seasons. He was suspended for the first 11 games of the 2022 season and suffered season ending injuries in 2023 and 2024.
NFL.com’s Nick Shook ranked Watson dead last out of the 59 NFL quarterbacks who started games in 2024. The Browns still owe Watson $92 million over the next 2 seasons on the fully guaranteed 5-year, $230 million contract extension he signed in March 2022.
