The Cleveland Browns’ offseason laundry list is a long one after the franchise finished a forgettable 2024 season with a 3-14 record. General manager Andrew Berry will have his hands full in the coming months as he attempts to address areas of need, including the Browns’ quarterback room.
It isn’t a secret that the Deshaun Watson experiment has been a bust, leaving the Browns looking to improve their situation under center this offseason. Several names have been thrown around as potential QB fixes, however, the latest projected offseason target is bound to upset Cleveland fans.
Browns Offseason: Trading for Eagles QB Kenny Pickett Would Be a Mistake
On Tuesday, CBS Sports‘ Aditi Kinkhabwala discussed some of the Browns’ potential QB targets offseason during an appearance on 92.3 The Fan. As names were being thrown around, Kinkhabwala indicated that she wouldn’t be surprised if the Browns had their eye on Philadelphia Eagles signal-caller Kenny Pickett.
The shows co-hosts immediately reject the idea of Pickett coming to Cleveland, however, that doesn’t stop the NFL reporter from maing her case.
“You can’t just look at his stats in a vacuum,” Kinkhabwala said. “The two years that Kenny Pickett had in Pittsburgh were, arguably, the most dysfunctional offense that I’ve ever been around… in 15 years of covering the NFL.”
Just about all veteran QB options have been mentioned as possibilities for the #Browns this offseason
📞 @AKinkhabwala has @KenCarman floored with an additional one, here🤯⬇️
🔊 Listen: https://t.co/ZIj3Ehl4Zp pic.twitter.com/5Ad6sX5jmr
— 92.3 The Fan (@923TheFan) February 11, 2025
Browns fans will remember Pickett from his brief time in the AFC North. The Oakhurst, NJ native was drafted 20th overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, spending two seasons in the Steel City before being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles in a deal that also involved four draft picks last March.
Across his three seasons with the Pennsylvanian franchises, Pickett led the Steelers and Eagles to a combined 15-10 record while completing 62.4% of passes for 4,765 passing yards, 15 touchdowns, 14 interceptions, and a 79.3 passer rating in 25 starts.
Having said that, fellow Eagles backup QB Tanner McKee outplayed Pickett last season, leaving fans to wonder if the ex-Pittsburgh Panther will be traded this offseason. He’s still playing on his rookie contract and will carry a $2.6 million cap hit next season, according to Spotrac, making him an inexpensive option for a team looking to add to their QB room.
But just because Pickett is affordable doesn’t mean the Browns should be calling the Steelers.
Ignoring when he was drafted, nothing about Pickett’s NFL career suggests that he’s ready to be a starting quarterback again. He already showed that he couldn’t produce without reliable weapons in Pittsburgh, which would be an issue again if he moves to Cleveland considering that the Browns just had the seventh-worst offense in the league, per Pro Football Focus.
The Browns are better off rolling the dice on undamaged goods, such as using the 2025 draft’s No. 2 overall pick on Miami’s Cam Ward or Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders. Even a trade for Atlanta Falcons QB Kirk Cousins would provide Cleveland with a brighter outlook than rolling with Pickett next season.
At the end of the day, whether their interest is legitimate or not, the Browns will have to wait at least a month to make a play for Pickett. All 32 NFL teams are prohibited from trading until the 2025 calendar officially begins on Wednesday, March 13, giving GM Berry enough time to work on a more promising plan to upgrade his team’s QB situation.
