Quarterback Kenny Pickett has received mixed reviews for his offseason performances for the Cleveland Browns. Then early in training camp, Pickett suffered a hamstring injury.
The former first-round signal-caller has only practiced in “limited” fashion since July 26.
As a result, rumors have begun to circulate that Pickett may not be with the Browns to begin the 2025 regular season. On Wednesday, Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox named Pickett the “one player” the Browns should put on the trade block this preseason.
“Flacco, who helped the Browns go on a 2024 playoff run, is the ‘safe’ option to begin the season. Gabriel and Sanders will probably both get chances to show where they can fit into Cleveland’s long-term plans this year,” wrote Knox.
“The Browns will have two first-round picks in 2026 and may chase a quarterback if neither Gabriel nor Sanders looks like a potential long-term option.
“This will all likely leave Pickett as the odd QB out. The Browns gave up a fifth-round pick and backup Dorian Thompson-Robinson to acquire Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles this offseason. They did so to take a flier on a 2022 first-round pick who suffered from a bad Pittsburgh Steelers offense in his first two seasons and may still have untapped potential.
“Pickett, who recently returned from a hamstring injury, probably isn’t the Browns’ future. However, Cleveland could try flipping him, as it did Joshua Dobbs just before the start of the 2023 season.”
Pickett is no stranger to trades. He hasn’t finished his rookie contract yet, and he’s already been traded twice.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, who drafted Pickett at No. 20 overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, dealt the quarterback to the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2024. After winning the Super Bowl as a backup signal-caller, Pickett then moved on to Cleveland when the Eagles traded him to the Browns.
Kenny Pickett ‘Odd QB Out’ for Browns?
Knox’s argument was rather simple and makes a lot of sense on paper.
If the Browns want the “safer” option, the one that helps them win immediately, they will start Joe Flacco. Should Cleveland care more about long-term development, getting their highest-upside quarterback game repetitions this season, the team will likely start Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders.
Pickett finds himself caught in the middle (and thus, the odd-man out). He doesn’t have Flacco’s experience, but he’s not as “raw” as Gabriel and Sanders. That means he doesn’t have the rookie’s upside.
Therefore, it might not make much sense for the Browns to keep Pickett unless he beats out Flacco for the starting role. Pickett can’t do that if he isn’t practicing in camp.
When Will Pickett Return From His Hamstring Injury?
After suffering the hamstring injury on the fourth day of training camp, Pickett returned to practice on August 1. But Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski described his participation as “limited.”
It’s not clear when Pickett will be 100%. Even when he’s permitted to fully return, the quarterback expects to be dealing with a sore hamstring.
“I’ll have to manage it whenever I’m back, probably a few weeks after, based on the injury and where I’m at,” Pickett said, via SI on Browns’ Spencer German. “But I think it gives me a great opportunity just to work from the pocket, find checkdowns, really improve my game from the pocket. So, I think if I look at it with that lens. It could be a real positive.”
If there’s good news for Pickett, Gabriel and Sanders have also dealt with injuries the past week. The Browns quarterback room is so banged up that the team added a fifth quarterback to the roster in Tyler Huntley.
But Sanders will be healthy enough to dress in Week 1 of the preseason. It will be a tremendous opportunity for the fifth-round rookie, as Pickett, Flacco and Gabriel all won’t play.
Pickett started one game for the Eagles last season. He led Philadelphia to a victory but exited with a rib injury.
Pickett never dealt with a hamstring injury in two seasons with the Steelers. But during 2023, his first full season as Pittsburgh’s starter, Pickett left three different games with a bone bruise, rib injury and high-ankle sprain.
He didn’t play in the 2023 season again after the Week 13 high-ankle sprain.
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