The Philadelphia Eagles quarterback room underwent some changes this offseason, and there could be more on the way. While Jalen Hurts and Tanner McKee have the top two spots on the depth chart locked up, the No. 3 job is up in the air after Dorian Thompson-Robinson and Kyle McCord struggled in Saturday’s preseason game against the Cleveland Browns.
While Thompson-Robinson and McCord could have their 2025 plans go haywire in the event of a surprise trade, it may have been ironic to see the Browns on the opposite sideline. That’s because Kenny Pickett was probably wondering about his future with his new team, and his offseason got even worse with a big announcement on Monday morning.
Browns name Joe Flacco as starting quarterback. pic.twitter.com/uohdSwfif5
— NFL (@NFL) August 18, 2025
Former Eagle Kenny Pickett Loses Out in Browns QB Competition
Pickett was traded by the Eagles last March and had a chance to win the Browns’ starting quarterback job this preseason. But the 27-year-old may have to call an audible off the field after head coach Kevin Stefanski announced Flacco as his starting quarterback for Cleveland’s season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7.
A former first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pickett was shipped out and traded to Philadelphia after two lackluster seasons. The Eagles had Pickett as their backup quarterback last season, and he made a pair of starts as Hurts missed the final two regular season games with a concussion. But with the emergence of McKee and the sweetener of Thompson-Robinson and an extra fifth-round pick in next year’s draft, Pickett was on his way to Cleveland.
Pickett battled with Flacco and rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel in Browns camp. But a hamstring injury during one of the first practices with his new team sabotaged his campaign to come away with the job. While his draft capital could convince another QB-needy team to take a shot on him, it’s also likely the Browns just cut bait and roll with Flacco and the two rookies.
It’s a tough hand for a player that has been looking to get back on track since leaving Philadelphia and could leave him looking for a new team before the regular season begins.