The Cleveland Browns will not exercise quarterback Kenny Pickett’s fifth-year option, a league source told ESPN on Monday, confirming a report.
Pickett, 26, was the No. 20 pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2022 NFL draft but was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles last offseason. In March, the Browns sent the Eagles a 2025 fifth-round pick and quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson to acquire Pickett. He has one year remaining on his rookie contract with a fully guaranteed $2.6 million salary.
In his first two seasons, Pickett went 14-10 as a starter before serving as the backup to Jalen Hurts and the Super Bowl champion Eagles last season. Pickett won his sole start of the 2024 season in Week 17.
In Cleveland, Pickett joins a remodeled quarterbacks room that also includes Joe Flacco, who was signed earlier in the month, as well as Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, who were added in last week’s draft. The Browns selected Gabriel with the 94th overall pick in the third round and then traded up to select Sanders with the 144th overall choice in the fifth round. Deshaun Watson is expected to miss a significant portion of the 2025 season with a right Achilles tendon injury.
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said anyone added to the QB room will be expected to compete to be the team’s starter.
News of the club’s decision on Pickett was first reported by Cleveland.com.