ESPN Labels Former Pitt QB Kenny Pickett as a Trade Target

Kenny Pickett is in the midst of a playoff run with the Philadelphia Eagles, in a key position as the backup quarterback on a team with a banged-up starter, but his future is already being discussed.

Pickett was traded to the Eagles during the offseason, going from the Pittsburgh Steelers starter to the Eagles backup, but there isn’t a path to playing time with the Eagles.

Ben Solak of ESPN predicted that the Los Angeles Rams would trade for Pickett this offseason, bringing in an established option to supplement a soon-to-be 37-year-old Matthew Stafford. It’s not as good a situation team-wise and location-wise, but it would give Pickett a potential path to playing time.

In the meantime, the Eagles are entering an NFC Championship game matchup against the Washington Commanders this weekend.

Eagles starter Jalen Hurts is in line to start against the Commanders, but he’s been fighting injuries through the second half of the season. And he remained in the game against the Rams last weekend despite an apparent lower-body injury.

Pickett received the start for the Eagles against the Cowboys in the penultimate game of the regular season, in place of a concussed Hurts, and he was already dealing with a rib injury entering the matchup. According to Mike Florio of NBC Sports, Pickett took painkilling injections before the game and during halftime to stay in the game.

Eagles cornerback Darius Slay confirmed after the game that Pickett played through broken ribs, praising Pickett’s toughness.

Pickett took a couple of shots in the first half against the Dallas Cowboys, but a hard hit from Cowboys defensive end Micah Parsons right to the ribs midway through the third quarter left him lying on the turf. He left the game for a few plays and exited for the locker room.

He returned to the sideline late in the second half, cheering on his teammates as the Eagles secured a win and the NFC East title.

It was a tough break for Pickett, who toughed out some serious hits in the first half and produced at a high level. He completed 10-of-15 pass attempts for 145 yards and a touchdown, adding a touchdown on the ground. It appears as though his regular season action may have come to an end though.

If so, he finished with 291 yards with two touchdowns and an interception on 25-of-42 pass attempts (59.5%). And he added a touchdown on the ground.

Pickett, of course, starred at Pitt in the late 2010s and early 2020s. He spent the better part of four years as the Panthers starting quarterback.

Pickett was one of the best quarterbacks in college football in 2021, completing 334-of-497 pass attempts (67%) for 4,319 yards with 42 touchdowns and seven interceptions — adding 241 yards and five more touchdowns on the ground.

He finished his Pitt career as the all-time leader in passing yards, completions, total offense, touchdowns responsible for and passing touchdowns. He’s thrown the most 300-yard passing games (16) and 400-yard passing games (five) and his 32 wins are the most as a Pitt starter.

Kenny Pickett completed 1,045-of-1,674 career passing attempts (just over 62%) for 12,303 yards and 81 touchdowns, to just 32 interceptions, in 52 career appearances (49 starts). He also added 809 rushing yards and 20 touchdowns.

He led Pitt to its first ACC title in 2021, earning All-ACC, All-American and Heisman Trophy finalist honors. He was selected by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the first round of the 2022 NFL Draft, but it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing.

Kenny Pickett threw for 4,474 yards (62.6% completion) with 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in his 25 games as a Pittsburgh Steeler.