LAS VEGAS — Quarterback Kenny Pickett has been traded from the Cleveland Browns to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL Draft. The trade, which was first reported by NFL Network insiders and The Associated Press, provides the Raiders with an experienced backup to starting quarterback Geno Smith.
The acquisition comes after Raiders backup quarterback Aidan O’Connell suffered a fractured wrist during the team’s final preseason game, an injury that is expected to sideline him for six to eight weeks. According to a report from Fox News, Raiders head coach Pete Carroll had indicated a need for a quarterback with starting experience, a role Pickett, with his 25 career starts, can fill.
Pickett’s departure from Cleveland follows a crowded offseason quarterback competition. After being traded to the Browns in March, Pickett was competing for a roster spot with veteran Joe Flacco and rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. A hamstring injury suffered early in training camp sidelined him for the preseason games, as reported by CBS Sports. The Browns’ decision to trade Pickett suggests the team is prioritizing its rookie quarterbacks, according to sources cited by the Hindustan Times.
This is the third time Pickett has been traded in the last 18 months, a journey that has seen him move from the Pittsburgh Steelers to the Philadelphia Eagles, then to the Browns, and now to the Raiders. The trade was officially announced by the Las Vegas Raiders on their team website.
