Nothing is a given in the NFL, even as a former first-round pick. Kenny Pickett has learned that over the last couple years as he went from the future of the Pittsburgh Steelers franchise to a backup with the Philadelphia Eagles. He is now on this third team over the first four seasons of his career, and he hopes to get back into the ranks of NFL starting quarterbacks this year with the Cleveland Browns.
“That’s the plan, man [to start],” Pickett told TribLive’s Jerry DiPaola at the Pitt spring game on Saturday. “I’m not going there to hang out. I want to go play. I’m excited, been working hard for it, taking it a day at a time.”
Pickett told the Cleveland media in his introductory press conference last month that he was told there would be a chance to compete for the starting job. Deshaun Watson is still technically on the roster, but that colossal mistake seems to have run its course.
For now, Pickett will be competing with Watson and recently signed veteran QB Joe Flacco.
“I’ve heard nothing but great things about Joe,” Pickett said. “I’ve been watching him since I was 10 years old. Total respect for Joe.”
Flacco hasn’t entered a season as the Week One starter since 2022 with the New York Jets and 2019 with the Denver Broncos before that. I don’t think that is suddenly going to change at 40 years old, but he managed to slice up the Steelers pretty well last year when Anthony Richardson went down injured for the Indianapolis Colts.
Unless the Browns end up drafting a quarterback in the first round or two, Pickett has a decent shot at winning the Week One starting job.
He started one game last season while Jalen Hurts was dealing with a rib injury and completed 10 of his 15 attempts for 143 yards and a touchdown. Before that, he hadn’t started a game since he went down injured in Week 13 against the Arizona Cardinals in 2023. Mason Rudolph eventually took over as the starter and didn’t relinquish his position once Pickett was back to being healthy.
Pickett’s career stats are pedestrian as a passer with a 62.4 completion percentage, 4,765 yards, 15 TDs and 14 INTs in 25 starts. The brightest point of his career was the tail end of his rookie season, but he didn’t carry that momentum over into 2023. Most quarterbacks don’t get a second chance once they lose control of a starting job that early in their career, but Pickett has a real chance to do that for the Browns.
They were interested in him last year when the Steelers were working to trade him and head coach Kevin Stefanski has said the team is “very excited” about Pickett.
According to DiPaola, Pickett stated he is excited for “everything” in 2025, which includes the possibility of starting a game in Acrisure Stadium against his former team.
