Browns Kenny Pickett commerce: Deep dive into the why and what it would imply

Cleveland Browns GM Andrew Berry has all the time begun NFL free company interval with a “splash” signing or two.

Not that these signings amounted to a lot, however on the time they appeared grand: OT Jack Conklin in 2020, CB Troy Hill in 2021, 2022’s DT Taven Bryan, S Juan Thornhill for 2023, and LB Jordan Hicks final 12 months. Some hits, and a few misses.

RELATED: KENNY PICKETT – GRADING THE TRADE

So, it was a really uncommon first day of free company for the Browns 2025 version. No splashes, no rumors, and no pleasure of what’s subsequent or an sudden participant signed proper at midday.

Browns followers can determine how they really feel concerning the one transfer that was made:

Commerce: Eagles are buying and selling QB Kenny Pickett to the Cleveland Browns for a 2025 fifth-round decide and QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson, per sources. pic.twitter.com/U6ZagO62Rq

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 10, 2025

Nonetheless, there was a commerce. The Browns are getting QB Kenny Pickett in trade for QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson (DTR) and a 2025 fifth-round draft decide. No, actually.

The Browns beginning QB, Deshaun Watson, seems his harm to his Achilles heel won’t heal earlier than the season opener. It has been rumored that Watson might not play in any respect in 2025. So, DTR was the one quarterback on the roster. Now that he’s gone, Pickett is the one quarterback on the roster.

Which appears unusual since Cleveland set an NFL file for many beginning quarterbacks in consecutive seasons with 9. Now, they’re technically down to at least one wholesome signalcaller.

On the floor, this commerce seems to be one developmental QB disappointment for one more developmental QB disappointment.

The commerce

What’s behind the commerce?

For one, the Browns went into Day 1 of the free company interval with no beginning quarterback. Or a backup quarterback.

Which one will Pickett fill? The reply is: we’ll see.

Pickett (6’-3”, 220 kilos) got here into the NFL from the College of Pittsburgh, the place he was a finalist for each quarterback achievement award: Heisman Trophy, Maxwell Award, Walter Camp Award, Davey O’Brien Nationwide Quarterback Award, and Manning Award. He did win the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award and the Panther Award.

Picture by Bryan Bedder/Getty Pictures

As a senior, Pickett was the ACC Participant of the Yr, voted First Workforce All-ACC, and named First Workforce All-American.

In his senior season, he threw 42 landing passes. No, not a misprint. His completion ratio was an excellent 67.2% and he tossed simply seven interceptions. On the conclusion of his faculty profession, Pickett had performed in 52 video games, had 1,045 completions on 1,674 makes an attempt for 12,303 yards, 81 TD passes, 32 picks, a 62.4% completion ratio, and a 136.3 QB score. He additionally rushed for 800 yards on 418 makes an attempt with an extra 21 touchdowns.

He completed his profession as Pitt’s all-time chief in passing yards (12,303), go completions (1,045), whole offense (13,112), landing duty (102), and passing touchdowns (81). That’s an excellent pedigree. However tearing up faculty defenses is a good distance from with the ability to learn an NFL defensive scheme.

The Pittsburgh Steelers took him with the twentieth decide within the first spherical of the 2022 NFL draft. That is the place the fairytale ends.

Picture by Joe Sargent/Getty Pictures

In his first recreation of his rookie season in Week 4 when the Steelers benched began Mitchell Trubisky, Picket threw three interceptions. Earlier than the season concluded, he had two concussions, seven TDs, and 9 interceptions. In his second season, he had a bone bruise and a excessive ankle sprain and completed his season with the bottom landing proportion of all eligible beginning quarterbacks.

Pickett did present six fourth-quarter comebacks and 7 game-winning drives throughout his time with the Steelers.

Throughout the 2024 low season, Pittsburgh signed free agent Russell Wilson, and Pickett requested a commerce. Earlier than these phrases have been utterly out of his mouth, the Steelers shipped him to the Eagles together with a fourth-round decide for a third-round decide, two seventh-round picks, a bag of footballs, and a stack of Chick-Fil-A coupons. Or one thing like that.

The Steelers did their due diligence by sending Pickett out of the convention.

Pickett then turned Jalen Hurts’ backup. It wasn’t like Pickett had a 12 months behind some grasp quarterback with a ton of expertise and Tremendous Bowl victories (but), both. Sure, Hurts was getting higher every season, however he’s simply two years older than Pickett. It wasn’t Patrick Mahomes, or Aaron Rodgers, or another QB marvel to study from.

Picture by Concentrate on Sport/Getty Pictures

Nonetheless, Pickett was thrown into the QB room headed by QB coach Doug Nussmeier, who has been an offensive coach for twenty-four years and has gained a school soccer nationwide championship, a Gray Cup, and now a Tremendous Bowl. And that’s the place Pickett spent his 2024 season, getting tutelage on tips on how to change into a beginning quarterback on this league.

Being on the Eagles turned an enormous profit as Philly gained this 12 months’s Tremendous Bowl. Pickett had the ultimate performs on the sector for each the NFC Championship Recreation plus the Tremendous Bowl.

DTR proved he was nothing greater than a undertaking and demonstrated why he was drafted within the fifth spherical. Pickett is a reasonably good leap up from DTR – that a lot is definite.

How does the commerce have an effect on the Browns?

For one, Pickett might begin. He has performed in 30 NFL video games with 25 begins. He took management of the Eagles in Week 16 after Hurts got here out with a concussion as they have been overwhelmed by the Washington Commanders 36-33. The next week, he began and guided the group to a 34-6 spanking of division foe Dallas Cowboys.

Was Pickett chosen to be the Browns’ beginning quarterback in 2025?

On the very least, he can be good insurance coverage because the backup. In his three years as a professional, his completion ratio remains to be fairly good at 62.4%. However identical to Jameis Winston, he simply throws to the fallacious group too many occasions with 14 picks whole in opposition to 15 touchdowns.

He is an effective recreation supervisor, however he isn’t going to mild it up each recreation with 400 passing yards and 30+ factors scored per recreation. Pickett wants a great working recreation behind him and a stable offensive line in entrance of him to provide him the time to undergo progressions.

Berry might want to repair Cleveland’s offensive line. Now. This 12 months. The working again scenario stays unsolved, in order that is a matter as nicely.

Almost certainly, Berry will draft a younger quarterback on this 12 months’s draft. Will he begin? Relies upon. Relies on who he selects and which spherical that participant is taken.

Russell Wilson was a third-round draft decide and beat out the Number one free agent quarterback they signed that 12 months to be their starter. So, something is feasible.

Jaxson Dart #2 of Ole Miss

Picture by Dustin Markland/Getty Pictures

If a man like Jaxson Dart of Ole Miss is taken within the second spherical, almost certainly, it is going to be a contest between Pickett and Dart for the beginning nod. If a 3rd/fourth-round man similar to Will Howard of Ohio State, Notre Dame’s Riley Leonard, or Kurtis Rourke of Indiana is taken, the depth chart will almost certainly change into:

QB1: Kenny Pickett
QB2: This 12 months’s draft decide
QB3: free agent signing
PS QB: undetermined

RELATED: JAXSON DART INTERVIEW

If the Browns use the #2 total decide within the first spherical on a quarterback, then this would be the depth chart:

QB1: Cam Ward or Shedeur Sanders
QB2: Kenny Pickett
QB3: This 12 months’s low-round draft decide or free agent
PS QB: undetermined

For the Steelers, Pickett just isn’t solely again within the convention however has additionally returned to the division. Oops.

There’s a chance that Berry has not gotten the one quarterback he’s concentrating on in free company. Possibly Berry has centered on his backup QB and brought a flyer on a former first-round man for subsequent to nothing. Berry might signal one other, which would supply a confirmed starter, thus inserting Pickett at backup as soon as once more and the younger draft decide because the developmental QB3.

Aaron Rodgers hasn’t been signed, though he hasn’t been rumored to the Browns. Then once more, neither was Pickett. Joe Flacco is a fan fav. The Atlanta Falcons would possibly nonetheless be keen to eliminate Kirk Cousins. Russell Wilson is obtainable. Daniel Jones is now with the Indianapolis Colts. Case Keenum, Drew Lock, Cooper Rush, Carson Wentz, and Trey Lance are nonetheless on the market. Jacoby Brissett tied to Arizona.

Invoice Streicher-Imagn Pictures

Pickett is within the remaining 12 months of his rookie deal, which pays him $2.6 million. His fifth-year choice will should be addressed in some unspecified time in the future. He’s simply 26 years outdated and may proceed to develop right into a beginning QB on this league. With the Browns, he does maybe get a shot to begin once more, which he would by no means do with Philadelphia who love Hurts as their starter, plus the event of backup QB Tanner McKee.

Earlier than free company started, the Browns’ quarterback room had extra questions than solutions. Now, immediately, there may be some readability.

The backup quarterback position is solved.