The Carolina Panthers added depth to their quarterback room by agreeing to a one-year contract with quarterback Kenny Pickett. The deal is worth up to $7.5 million and includes $4 million in guaranteed money. It was finalized Monday.
Pickett now joins Carolina as the team continues building around starting quarterback Bryce Young heading into the 2026 NFL season. The move provides the Panthers with additional security at the quarterback position while adding a player who has already logged multiple seasons of NFL action.
Across his career entering the 2026 season, the former University of Pittsburgh standout has thrown for 4,953 yards with 16 touchdowns and 16 interceptions while completing 62.4 percent of his passes. He has also added 328 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns while posting a 16–11 record as a starter.
The signing was first reported by ESPN’s Adam Schefter on X, formerly Twitter, who posted the following update on the recent acquisition by the Panthers.
“Source: Kenny Pickett has agreed to a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers worth up to $7.5M that includes $4 million in guarantees.”
Pickett has made multiple stops since the Pittsburgh Steelers selected him 20th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. He started his career with Pittsburgh, spending two seasons with the franchise before the team traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles in 2024, where he served as the backup to Jalen Hurts. He later joined the Cleveland Browns before the Las Vegas Raiders acquired him during the 2025 season, ultimately leading him to Carolina.
For the Panthers, the addition of Pickett strengthens the quarterback depth chart behind Young while adding a former first-round pick with valuable starting experience as the team looks to build off its 2025 division title and advance deeper into the postseason in the upcoming NFL season.
