The Cleveland Browns have four quarterbacks on their roster after waiving Tyler Huntley on Sunday. Kenny Pickett is one of those quarterbacks, and was expected to compete for the starting job prior to training camp. Unfortunately for Pickett, he was injured early in camp and never really recovered. The Browns field two rookie quarterbacks on the depth chart – both of whom they drafted. While Kevin Stefanski has claimed Pickett is safe, everyone is available for the right price. The Browns could do Pickett a favor that Mike Tomlin never did.
Kenny Pickett has some opportunities
Pickett has been a sound professional with the Browns (and previously the Eagles). He knows his place on this roster, and the circumstances which led to Joe Flacco being named starting quarterback. However, Pickett has a good chance of playing with Cleveland this season if he can hold onto the backup spot. Flacco is over 40 and the Browns are going to be very, very bad. Eventually, depth chart momentum will provide him with another chance.
Kenny Pickett deserves a trade away from the Cleveland Browns
I'd argue that Pickett's best days are ahead of him, and likely not in Cleveland. Minus Baker Mayfield, few former Browns quarterbacks have amounted to much at all. It's where starting-caliber passers go to finally admit their fate. But Pickett can do that elsewhere. In fact, it's what Pickett has been asking for this whole time. A destination with a decent system in place that offers him a chance.
So, again, the Browns have four quarterbacks. They can afford to trade Pickett, and it would be in their best interest given the draft capital they could receive in return. Pickett may not be worth much at this point in his career, but he is a former first rounder who can be acquired for a fifth, at best.
Raiders head coach Pete Carroll made it brutally obvious that Vegas is looking for a new backup quarterback following an injury to Aidan O'Conner, which is expected to keep him out 6-8 weeks. O'Conner has starting experience and wasn't a bad backup plan for Vegas if Geno Smith went down. However, he's going to miss close to half the NFL season at worst. There is a reason Carroll is looking for quarterback depth, and Pickett could solve a lot of their problems.
What the Raiders offer Kenny Pickett
The Raiders offer a chance Pickett hasn't had in awhile. When the Steelers traded him to the Philadelphia Eagles, it was because the Pitt product wanted out. Pittsburgh signed Russell Wilson and guaranteed him a chance at the starting job. Some Steelers fans weren't happy with Pickett's demand, but that was his right given Tomlin was never fully invested in developing a young QB – especially one with a third-round grade.
With the Raiders, Pickett can sit behind Smith and perhaps make a name for himself in the QB room. Smith's footing is pretty solid, but every QB is just a few bad throws away from some angry radio caller pleading for the backup. Pickett could be that backup.
If the Browns do Pickett a solid and send him somewhere he'd be valued for more than just a few weeks, it could do wonders for his career. Chase Daniel made my lifetime net worth (and then some) as a career backup QB. The only question about Pickett at this juncture is whether he can handle that workload, and if he's a team player.
Nothing about his background suggests he'd be anything but grateful to play under Pete Carroll (who ironically coached Wilson) and Chip Kelly. Pickett deserves that chance. Tomlin wouldn't give it to him, so maybe the Browns will.