Browns Predicted to Dump QB After Early Struggles

Kenny Pickett’s time with the Cleveland Browns could be short-lived, as the former first-round pick has emerged as a potential trade candidate ahead of mandatory minicamp.

The Browns traded for Pickett in March, bringing him over from the Super Bowl-champion Philadelphia Eagles. The Browns sent a 2025 fifth-round pick and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson to the Eagles for Pickett.

Pickett was a first-round pick in 2022 by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He spent two years as the starter in Pittsburgh, posting a 14-10 record. He recorded 4,474 yards, 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in a Steelers uniform. Pickett asked for a trade out of Pittsburgh after the Steelers acquired Russell Wilson, unseating him as the starter. He spent last season backing up Jalen Hurts.

Pickett is part of a four-man quarterback competition that also includes Joe Flacco, Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel. He’s firmly in the mix, but Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk believes Pickett will be the odd man out when the dust settles.

“I think they’re going to trade Kenny Pickett. I haven’t been told anything, I don’t know anything, I never know anything. But just reading between the tea leaves, as a wise man says, Joe Flacco is the fan favorite,” Florio said. “They’re not going to get rid of Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. They want to see which one of those guys can become the long-term guy. Pickett was the insurance policy they traded for early on. I think he’s the first guy out.”

Kenny Pickett Has Struggled Early With Browns

The Browns are still in the early stages of evaluating their quarterback options, but OTAs have already offered a glimpse into the competition, and the early reviews on Pickett haven’t been promising.

Scott Petrak of The Chronicle-Telegram, who observed practice firsthand, shared a clip noting that Pickett threw multiple near-interceptions. Meanwhile, ESPN Cleveland’s Aaron Goldhammer didn’t hold back, calling Pickett “the consensus worst player” among the four quarterbacks.

Zac Jackson of The Athletic also weighed in, pegging Joe Flacco as the early frontrunner for the starting job ahead of Pickett, while noting that the race is still far from over.

“Joe Flacco, an 18-year veteran who’s played under Stefanski before, should be well ahead of rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders,” Jackson wrote. “Flacco is probably ahead of Kenny Pickett, too. Flacco throws the ball in a practice setting better than any of them. Add his overall experience, and he’s the favorite to win the job, unless Stefanski and others in the organization just favor Pickett — or unless Pickett outplays Flacco in the coming months.”

Kenny Pickett ‘Grateful’ for Time With Eagles

Pickett believes he’s matured as a quarterback since his early seasons with the Steelers, crediting his stint with the Eagles as a key factor in his development.

“I’m extremely grateful for my time in Philly. I think I was just shown how it’s supposed to be done, really, from the top down,” Pickett said. “So when you get a chance to see what it’s supposed to look like and how it should look on a day-to-day basis, not just on Sundays. You know, I think it’ll pay dividends for me in the future.”

Whether that’s in Cleveland or elsewhere remains to be seen. The case for the Browns retaining Kenny Pickett is rooted in the fact that they actively pursued him, parting with capital to acquire the former first-round pick.