Kevin Stefanski hyping up Kenny Pickett in May is everything the Pittsburgh Steelers needed to hear to know the Cleveland Browns are just as delusional as they once were. Stefanski is talking highly about Pickett, who the Browns traded for this offseason. He’s probably in contention with Joe Flacco for QB1 for Week 1 while Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders are battling to be his backup.
Aside from that being a crazy sentence to type out, the Steelers — and frankly the rest of the division — are not concerned about a Browns offense led by Pickett. Pickett is very familiar with the AFC North, spending his first two seasons in Pittsburgh. He was a first-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft.
In his two seasons with the Steelers, he threw for 4,474 yards with 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He was traded to Philadelphia to be Jalen Hurts’ backup. He ultimately won a Super Bowl this past season, for what it’s worth.
The Cleveland Browns are making themselves feel better about the Kenny Pickett trade with OTAs hype
Don’t be fooled by Stefanski overglorifying Pickett during OTAs. It’s just that: overglorification. Let’s be honest, Pickett won’t revive his career in Cleveland. The Browns are not built to build up a quarterback and Pickett certainly isn’t good enough to elevate the team around him. But if the Browns want to feel better about themselves, then let Stefanski hype up this quarterback room.
Maybe this is a way they can feel better about having four active quarterbacks to choose from for probably two spots and a practice squad spot. That said, nothing will absolve them of loading their quarterback room up with mediocre talent.
The Steelers once believed in Pickett and that flopped. They opted for a revolving door of quarterbacks that currently features Mason Rudolph and Skylar Thompson with Aaron Rodgers on standby. If they were willing to go with Thompson and Rudolph over Pickett, it’s proof they know he’s not an answer to anything.
Cleveland can be happy with Pickett in May OTAs all they want. What he’s accomplished in the NFL – or lack thereof – makes it clear the Browns are giving false hope. And no one in the AFC North is turning their heads at Pickett hype in the offseason.