The Las Vegas Raiders quickly filled the quarterback-sized hole in its roster left by Aidan O’Connell’s wrist injury. The team is trading for former Pittsburgh Steelers and current Cleveland Browns QB Kenny Pickett, per Ian Rapoport and multiple other reporters.
Las Vegas is sending a 2026 fifth-round pick to Cleveland.
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QB trade: The #Raiders are trading for #Browns QB Kenny Pickett, sources tell The Insiders, filling a key void before the season. It’s a 2026 5th rounder going back.
With Aidan O’Connell’s injury, Pickett, with plenty of experience, becomes the backup to Geno Smith. pic.twitter.com/ohEEQfj5Za
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) August 26, 2025
Injured with a hamstring pull for much of the summer, Pickett wasn’t going to have a role with the Browns. Joe Flacco was declared the team’s Week One starter while Dillon Gabriel impressed and will likely begin the season as the backup with fellow rookie Shedeur Sanders serving as the No. 3.
After O’Connell fractured his wrist in the preseason finale, the Raiders made it known they would be in the veteran quarterback market. We speculated if the Raiders would have interest in the Steelers’ Skylar Thompson after his strong preseason. Instead, Pete Carroll and company land Pickett, Pittsburgh’s first-round pick in 2022.
Pickett will serve as Geno Smith’s backup until O’Connell returns midseason.
This is the third time Pickett has been traded. Pittsburgh sent him to Philadelphia ahead of the 2024 season where he spent as the Eagles’ backup. Philadelphia sent him to Cleveland earlier this offseason and now, the Browns have shipped him to Las Vegas.
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