Back in the AFC North, the Cleveland Browns believe they found the right quarterback in Kenny Pickett. Traded twice in as many offseasons, the Philadelphia Eagles sent him to Cleveland earlier this month, outlining a real opportunity to make a run at a starting job he once held with the Steelers. Speaking to reporters Monday, Browns’ head coach Kevin Stefanski couldn’t be more excited about giving him the chance.
“Very excited about Kenny,” Stefanski said via The Athletic’s Zac Jackson. “We’ve had him up in our building and [liked] just the brief time talking to him, understanding what he know about this game and how he’s been coached. I caught up with some of his former coaches in Philly and they filled me in on the type of person, the type of player he is.
“So, excited for Kenny and the opportunity to see what he’s capable of. He’s got the right makeup for it.”
Cleveland flipped a fifth-round pick and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson to acquire Pickett. With Deshaun Watson battling a twice-torn Achilles and Russell Wilson and Jameis Winston signing with the New York Giants, Pickett has as good a chance as anyone to be Cleveland’s Week 1 starter. Currently, Pickett and Watson are the only two quarterbacks the team has under contract.
Of course, that will change in the coming weeks. The Browns will likely draft a quarterback, potentially taking Colorado’s Shedeur Sanders at No. 2 overall. Recent reports indicate they’re more likely to pass, but nothing can truly be believed until draft weekend concludes. Even if Sanders is passed by, a move for Ole Miss’ Jaxson Dart is plausible if he falls into the final few picks of Round One. A trade for a veteran quarterback like Kirk Cousins also remains realistic.
Pickett won’t be handed the job. But his NFL experience and ability to manage the game, playing smart and safe, has its value. It certainly limits his upside, but the Browns need something resembling stability under center. With limited options, Pickett is the best they have. Currently, he’s really all they have. So he must be sold as a potential answer, even if odds are low that he’ll be the long-term solution.
