Inside The Panthers

Former Pitt QB Kenny Pickett Heads to Browns in Shocking Trade

Kenny Pickett is off to his third NFL team since leaving the Pitt Panthers in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Kevin Sinclair

Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett (7) against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Dec 29, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Kenny Pickett (7) against the Dallas Cowboys at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
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Ian Rapaport announced on Monday that former Pitt Panthers quarterback Kenny Pickett is on the move. 

The National Insider from The NFL Network stated that Pickett will depart the Eagles and head to the Cleveland Browns. In return, the Super Bowl Champion Eagles will receive Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round NFL Draft pick that Philadelphia received through the Detroit Lions. 

After originally committing to play his college football at Temple, Pickett - a three-star recruit out of Oakhurst (NJ) Ocean Township at the time - Pickett ended up in Pittsburgh in 2017. 

Pickett played just four games as a freshman before becoming a full-time starter over the following four seasons as a Panthers. 

In 2021, the 6-foot-3, 220-pound passer was named First Team All-ACC, ACC Offensive Player of the Year, ACC Player of the Year, ACC Athlete of the Year, First Team All-American, and he won the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm Award. 

Pickett wrapped up his college career with 12,303 passing yards and 81 touchdowns with 32 interceptions, propping the young quarterback up into the first-round conversation. 

In the 2022 NFL Draft, Pickett was selected No. 20 overall in the first-round by the Pittsburgh Steelers. He started 14 games over his two seasons - the Steelers going 7-5 in 2022 and again in 2023 with Pickett under center - before he departed for Philadelphia ahead of the last season. 

Pickett now heads to Cleveland with a Super Bowl ring after working as an understudy to Jalen Hurts this past NFL season. 

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Kevin Sinclair
KEVIN SINCLAIR

Kevin Sinclair writes coverage of the Pitt Panthers along with the Baltimore Ravens, the New England Patriots, the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Tennessee Titans for On SI. Previously, he was a recruiting reporter and managing editor at Irish Illustrated, the privately-owned Notre Dame site within the 247Sports Network, for over seven-and-a-half years. Kevin studied multimedia journalism and has been a sports writer for nearly a decade.

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