The Cleveland Browns will not be keeping four quarterbacks on their roster heading into the 2025 regular season, after all.
The Browns agreed to a deal on Monday to trade Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders, according to multiple reports. Cleveland will receive a 2026 fifth-round draft pick in return.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 26, 2025
QB trade: The #Raiders are trading for #Browns QB Kenny Pickett, sources tell The Insiders, filling a key void before the season. It’s a 2026 5th rounder going back.
With Aidan O’Connell’s injury, Pickett, with plenty of experience, becomes the backup to Geno Smith. pic.twitter.com/ohEEQfj5Za
Pickett spent just five months in Cleveland, as the Browns acquired him in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles back in March. They gave up Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round draft pick in that deal.
There had been reports throughout the summer that Pickett was not exactly lighting it up in Browns camp. Joe Flacco has been named Cleveland's Week 1 starter, so rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders will now back the 40-year-old up.
The Raiders needed a veteran quarterback after Aidan O'Connell fractured his wrist in the team's preseason finale over the weekend. O'Connell is expected to be sidelined for around two months.
Pickett began his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted him 20th overall in 2022. The former University of Pittsburgh QB started 12 games as a rookie and did not play well, finishing with 2,404 yards, seven touchdown passes and nine interceptions. Pickett started another 12 games for the Steelers in 2023 before being benched and later traded to Philadelphia.
In total, Pickett has completed 62.4 percent of his career passes for 4,765 yards, 15 touchdowns and 14 interceptions.
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