Kenny Pickett will be changing zip codes once again after he was traded by the Cleveland Browns to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2026. Pickett was traded for the third time in the last 17 months.
The young quarterback could see more opportunities with the Raiders as the backup to star Geno Smith. Pickett suited up for only five games in his lone stint with the Philadelphia Eagles last season. He threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns and won a Super Bowl ring.
The Eagles traded him to the Browns in March, where he found himself in an even tighter battle for a signal-caller spot with Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders.
Pickett played his first two seasons with the Pittsburgh Steelers, his hometown team, after being drafted as the 20th overall pick in 2022.
With his latest move to the Raiders, Pickett joined fellow quarterback Sam Howell as the only players in the last 30 seasons to be traded three times within their first four seasons, according to NFL insider Tom Pelissero. Howell hit the undesirable feat on Sunday after he was shipped by the Eagles to the Minnesota Vikings.
The only player in the last 30 seasons to be traded 3+ times within his first 4 NFL seasons was Sam Howell, who hit the mark yesterday.
Kenny Pickett is now the second.
Via @NFLPlus https://t.co/ksLO1Dc0G6
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) August 26, 2025
Pickett was thrilled to play for the Steelers and perhaps envisioned himself as the squad's future. But when Pittsburgh signed veteran Russell Wilson in 2024, Pickett demanded a trade, jumpstarting his journeyman days.
The 27-year-old quarterback is hoping to find a more stable role in Las Vegas. With fellow backup Aiden O'Connell expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks due to a wrist injury, Pickett should be the next man up for the Raiders.
Before acquiring Pickett following O'Connell's major setback, new Raiders coach Pete Carroll already said he wanted a signal-caller with ample experience.
“I’m not going to really lay out exactly what we’re looking for here, so I don’t want to show our hand, but I want somebody who’s played. That’s what’s important, a guy that’s had game experience is really huge to me,” said Carroll.
The Raiders are looking to end their three-year drought in the playoffs. They will face the New England Patriots in Week 1.
