After much speculation about the Cleveland Browns' quarterback situation, there was some movement on Monday. Nobody expected the team to keep four signal-callers, including rookies Shedeur Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, on the final 53-man roster.
The Las Vegas Raiders acquired quarterback Kenny Pickett from Cleveland in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. He'll assume backup duties to starting quarterback Geno Smith with the Raiders. The transaction comes two days after Aidan O'Connell fractured his right wrist in the preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals.
This forced the Raiders to shop around for a quarterback. But as it turns out, Sanders wouldn't be reunited with Tom Brady, who served as one of his earliest QB coaches. The former Colorado Buffaloes star also earned an NIL deal from the Raiders minority owner during his time in Boulder. Despite not trading for Shedeur, Las Vegas' move to land Pickett as a backup makes a clear path for him on the Browns roster.
Raiders coach Pete Carroll said Sunday the team needed a QB with experience, thus Sanders would've been out in that regard. There weren't whispers from fans about the unhappiness behind Shedeur being pulled in the preseason finale against the Los Angeles Rams. Many believe bringing in Tyler "Snoop" Huntley was the wrong decision. However, Sanders struggled to find any consistency and was back on the sidelines.
With Pickett gone, Sanders and Gabriel will figure out who'll back up 40-year-old former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco to start the season. The Browns open at home against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 7 (1 p.m. ET on FOX).
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