The Cleveland Browns had a problem coming into the 2025 season, and that was that they had too many quarterbacks. Their solution was one that many saw coming, and that was to trade away one of them, and they chose Kenny Pickett. The question is, what did the team get for Pickett, who is now heading to the Las Vegas Raiders?
The Browns will be getting a fifth-round draft pick for 2026 in exchange for Pickett, who will be providing Las Vegas with a proven backup quarterback for Geno Smith. He will be what Las Vegas needs, as the team lost QB Aidan O’Connell to a wrist injury during their preseason game against Arizona.
This has now been the third time that Kenny Pickett has been traded in just 18 months, and the second time that he has been traded after winning the Super Bowl last year. First, he was traded to Philadelphia in 2024 and served as the backup QB for Jalen Hurts and won the Super Bowl there. He was then traded to Cleveland in the postseason, who have now traded him again, this time to Las Vegas.
Why Did Kenny Pickett Get Traded?
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While no official reason was given, it is very clear that Cleveland just has too many quarterbacks. With Pickett now traded to the Raiders, the Browns are left with Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Flacco is seen to be the Week 1 starter, with Gabriel being his backup, and then Shedeur Sanders being their backup.
In addition, Pickett injured his hamstring during training camp, which left him out of action throughout the preseason. He was expected to return around Sept., but this injury may have been one of the factors that Cleveland trading him for a future draft pick.
Kenny Pickett Super Bowl Stats
Getting to play in the Super Bowl was one of Kenny Pickett’s career highlights in the NFL since getting drafted back in 2022. While he was the backup quarterback for Jalen Hurts, he did get some playing time, as the Eagles dominated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22, and he was inserted late into the game when it was clear that Philly was winning that game.
During Super Bowl LIX, the new Las Vegas Raiders QB played in seven offensive snaps, though he only had one attempt as the Eagles were already phoning it in as the Super Bowl victory was already certain.
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