Browns Might Trade Kenny Pickett Amid Crowded QB Room

The Cleveland Browns have bulked up at quarterback after Deshaun Watson’s second rupture of his Achilles tendon, which is predicted to maintain him out for all the 2025 season. Under unclear circumstances on the place, Cleveland made a number of aggressive offseason transactions to restructure its quarterback depth chart.

They added veteran Joe Flacco, traded for Steelers’ Kenny Pickett, and drafted two quarterbacks within the 2025 NFL Draft: Dillon Gabriel (Oregon) within the third spherical and Shedeur Sanders (Colorado) within the fifth. With these QBs, one title is reportedly on the commerce block.

Kenny Pickett Emerges as Logical Trade Candidate

With 4 quarterbacks competing for snaps and Deshaun Watson nonetheless contracted by means of 2026 and past, Cleveland will most likely search to half with one in all its signal-callers. Pro Football Focus identifies Kenny Pickett as essentially the most tradable commodity.

“With Deshaun Watson likely out for all of 2025, the Browns added both Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders with mid-round picks on top of signing veteran Joe Flacco. Even at 40, Flacco (70.7 PFF passing grade last year) profiles as the likely starter. Cleveland could cut or trade either of its young arms, but Pickett seems the most probable to be both lower in the pecking order and dealt, given that he will be a free agent next offseason.”

Pickett supplies the right mixture of NFL expertise and future pliability. He’s performed in video games, has mid-round commerce worth left, and would not determine to be Cleveland’s long-term answer.

If he would not distance himself throughout camp, the Browns would possibly ship him to a quarterback-needy group, probably getting again a late-round choice or developmental participant.

It’s Up to the Browns to Give Pickett His Purpose

According to Sports Illustrated, Cleveland’s funding in two rookie QBs, to not point out the approaching return of Watson, has them well-positioned to commerce Pickett or one other QB earlier than the beginning of the season. The 2026 NFL Draft might even see top-notch expertise like Arch Manning, making long-term technique much more essential.

Whether or not Pickett is traded or stored as insurance coverage, the Browns are set at quarterback going into 2025. The query is not whether or not they have depth—it is how they’re going to cope with it tactically.

With commerce rumors simmering, anticipate Cleveland’s quarterback drama to be probably the most intently adopted within the league’s preseason.