Browns trade Kenny Pickett to Raiders

     The Cleveland Browns had hinted that they were willing to carry four quarterbacks, but the question was, should they?

The Browns answered that question one day before the cutdown to the 53-man roster as the Browns traded Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders for the Raiders' fifth-round pick in 2026.

The Browns had obtained Pickett before the draft from the Philadelphia Eagles for Dorian Thompson-Robinson (who the Eagles released today) and the Detroit Lions' fifth-rounder in 2025 that the Browns had obtained in a previous swap, so essentially, the Browns moved a five last year for a fifth next year.

Pickett was touted by some media members as the possible victor in the quarterback competition. Still, Pickett suffered a hamstring injury, which slowed him in camp, and he was unable to play in the preseason.

Las Vegas planned on Aiden O'Connell as their top backup, but O'Connell fractured his wrist in the Raiders' preseason finale, so the Raiders needed a backup for Geno Smith.

The Browns will now (unless a surprise arrives) appear to be ready to enter the season with rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders as the second and third string quarterbacks.

While I don't think either rookie is ready to play in the league currently, I don't have a problem with the team keeping both, considering the option of releasing one and keeping Pickett, who's proven to be mediocre at best.

The Btowns pick up a fifth-rounder for a player who may not have made the final roster, which is always a good trade, and I see no downside to this transaction.

Browns trade for Kenny Pickett, move DTR

       The Cleveland Browns didn't leap into action on the first day of free agency as it was more of a short jaunt with the surprising acquisition of quarterback Kenny Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles.

Cleveland traded reserve quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round draft pick which originally belonged to the Detroit Lions and was obtained for Za'Darius Smith at the trade deadline, for Pickett, who will turn twenty-seven in June.

Pickett was the first-round selection by the Steelers in the 2022 draft and started twelve games in each of his two seasons as a Steeler.

Pickett won fourteen of those starts but threw thirteen interceptions with thirteen touchdowns and was viewed as a disappointing selection with Pittsburgh trading Pickett to the Eagles before last season with a fourth-rounder in 2024 in return for a 2024 third-rounder and two 2025 seventh-round choices.

Pickett appeared in five games (two touchdowns, one interception, two hundred ninety-one yards) for the Eagles championship-winning squad, starting the season's final game against Dallas, winning a meaningless game to avoid injury to Jalen Hurts.

Dorian Thompson-Robinson was the Browns fifth-round selection in 2023 and started five games in two seasons as a Brown, throwing one touchdown and a jaw-dropping ten interceptions.

Thompson-Robinson completed only fifty-two percent of his pass attempts and showed an inability to get the football downfield, so with the Browns tossing in the towel on the DeShaun Watson regime, Thompson-Robinson's skills aren't in sync with whomever the Browns would decide to start at quarterback next season.

The Browns basically traded Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a few games of Za'Darius Smith for Kenny Pickett and while those few games weren't a loss, trading a fifth-rounder  (even if it is near the end of the round) seemed a bit much, especially when the Browns are expected to add a few compensation picks in the sixth round, which would have been a bit more palatable.

I'm assuming the Browns are bringing Kenny Pickett in as a backup and not as a challenger for the starting position, so the trade is nothing I'm going to scream about, especially since Cleveland found a taker for Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

Under these circumstances, I'm okay with the trade, although not in love with it because of the loss of the fifth-round draft pick.

I don't expect to see Kenny Pickett taking many snaps for the Cleveland Browns but if he is things are really problematic in Cleveland.