Kenny Pickett Traded to Raiders from Browns amid Shedeur Sanders, Gabriel QB2 Battle

Kenny Pickett is on the move for the second time this offseason.

The Cleveland Browns are trading the quarterback to the Las Vegas Raiders in return for a fifth-round pick. The Raiders will be without Aidan O'Connell for six to eight weeks after he suffered a fractured wrist, so Pickett will serve as Geno Smith's backup in Las Vegas.

ESPN's Adam Schefter first reported the deal.

Pickett started his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted him 20th overall in 2022. The Steelers traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason, and he spent the 2024 campaign backing up Jalen Hurts. He appeared in five games last year, throwing for 291 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

In three seasons, Pickett has thrown for 4,765 yards, 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.

The Eagles traded Pickett to the Browns in March in return for a fifth-round pick and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson.

When Pickett arrived in Cleveland, he seemed to have a good chance at earning the starting job over Joe Flacco. The quarterback competition got a bit more difficult when the Browns drafted Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in April.

After the draft, Pickett reportedly had a strong start in the quarterback battle. Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot reported that he was "for all intents and purposes, in the lead."

Flacco eventually earned the starting job, however, leaving Pickett in a three-way battle for backup with Gabriel and Sanders. Ultimately, Cleveland elected to keep their young talent while cashing in on their deep quarterback room.

The trade could also work out better for Pickett as he won't have to compete with as many quarterbacks for playing time. He will presumably start the season as QB2 behind Smith, though he'll likely have to compete with O'Connell for that role once he's healthy.