Veteran quarterback Kenny Pickett's career has lost meaning since he was dealt away from the defending Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles earlier this year.
After being stuck in the Cleveland Browns' highly controversial four-man quarterback competition, starting as the primary backup behind Joe Flacco before falling behind Dillon Gabriel — but always being comfortably ahead of Shedeur Sanders — he was traded to the Las Vegas Raiders for a 2026 fifth-round draft pick.
The reason? Las Vegas lost Geno Smith's primary backup, Aidan O'Connell, to a wrist injury during a preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals. The reason for the trade is no longer an issue for the Raiders, though.
"The Raiders are opening the practice window for QB Aidan O’Connell, sources say, adding another element to the Las Vegas QB room," NFL Network's Ian Rapoport prefaced before saying, "O’Connell fractured his wrist in late August and landed on IR, prompting the trade for QB Kenny Pickett. Now, he’s back sooner rather than later."
Kenny Pickett Lost Role of a Lifetime Behind Jalen Hurts
Pickett could've gotten a lot of the glory that comes with backing up Jalen Hurts had he convinced general manager Howie Roseman, head coach Nick Sirianni, and offensive coordinator Kevin Patullo that he was worthy of keeping his championship-worthy QB2 spot. Unfortunately, that's not how it played out for him, and he may soon be out of an NFL home if he can't compete with O'Connell.
Pickett figures to bounce around the league plenty for the rest of the season. Given Browns HC Kevin Stefanski's unwillingness to deploy Sanders under center, perhaps another go-round in Cleveland could be an option for Pickett. He knows the playbook and is a better option to back up Gabriel than Bailey Zappe.
That Pickett is in QB3 conversations is a damning fact for the former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round draft pick. He had the best job in the world during this calendar year, not that long ago. Pickett could've been the guy that fans of A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith want to see on the field over Hurts. Instead, he's facing another obstacle in the way of any potential starting opportunities.
It was all so perfect, not that long ago. Philadelphia trusts Tanner McKee and traded for Sam Howell, so the Pickett door is closed in the City of Brotherly Love. Despite that, Eagles fans will be closely monitoring the former first-rounder to see if he finds a long-term home any time soon.