It’s rare for any NFL player to spend time with three separate teams before the expiration of their original rookie contract.
Kenny Pickett is the exception, as he could find himself starting games at quarterback for his third team in as many years.
Traded from the reigning champion Philadelphia Eagles to the Cleveland Browns at the start of the 2025 league year, Pickett finds himself locked in a training camp logjam with former Super Bowl MVP Joe Flacco and rookie draft picks Dillion Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
You would think Pickett, who was essentially acquired for a fifth-round draft pick, would be earmarked for a backup role, but Jeff Kerr, who covers the Eagles for CBS Sports, believes Pickett will enter Browns training camp as the frontrunner to be named the Week 1 starter.
Here’s why Kerr predicts Pickett over Sanders, Gabriel and Flacco is a “reality” this summer:
“Pickett isn't the most proven of the four between Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, but he revitalized his career in his one season in Philadelphia,” Kerr wrote. “The Browns didn't give up much for Pickett, so they don't owe him anything. He's still a former first-round pick that can succeed in a quarterback-friendly offense, which the Browns have under Kevin Stefanski. Don't get too caught up in the up-and-down minicamp. Once the regular season comes around, there will be a leash. Pickett will still be the starter come Week 1.”
To Pickett’s credit, he did his job as Jalen Hurts’ backup in 2024. Hurts missed time with a concussion, and Pickett gave the Eagles a chance in the two regular season games he appeared in, battling through injuries himself. He probably deserved better this offseason, but the ascending Tanner McKee made his roster spot expendable in Philly.
It would not be surprising to see Pickett beat out the two rookies this preseason, especially with Gabriel being a third-round pick and Sanders slipping to the fifth round. Flacco’s entering his age-40 season, but he has experience in Stefanski’s system and a built-in rapport with starting tight end David Njoku. Flacco certainly makes the Browns a bigger threat down the field, but Pickett’s mobility and moxie could give him an edge and win over the Cleveland faithful this summer.
Flacco still feels like the best bridge option for Cleveland, but Pickett’s battle-tested and spent the 2024 season on a Super Bowl championship roster. The 27-year-old could very well be the Week 1 starting quarterback that no one saw coming back in April.
MORE: Eagles 53-man roster prediction: Who’s in, who’s on the bubble for Philly entering training camp?