Neither the Cleveland Browns nor Kenny Pickett has mentioned that his week-old hamstring injury might spell the end of his tenure with the franchise, but the possibility rests cleanly between the lines.
Basic context and analysis paints the first part of the picture: the Browns need to decide on a starting quarterback soon, and Pickett and Joe Flacco were the frontrunners coming into training camp because they are the only two with actual NFL experience. Cleveland has a brutal opening stretch of schedule, after which the Browns may decide it makes sense to run out Dillon Gabriel and/or Shedeur Sanders to see if the team needs to revisit the position in next April’s draft.
But it doesn’t make sense for Cleveland to carry four quarterbacks into the season. So while Pickett may be more suited to start games now than either of his rookie counterparts, he’s a superfluous player on the roster if he doesn’t start those contests between Weeks 1-6.
A few other teams already look like they could be in the market for a veteran QB soon, if not now, and the Browns could recoup their investment in Pickett by dealing him to one such franchise for a fifth-round pick, or the like.
Pickett indirectly painted the second portion of the picture that his time in Cleveland could soon come to an end with the words he spoke to reporters on Saturday, August 3 — namely admitting that he won’t be the same player from a mobility standpoint for multiple weeks even after he returns to the practice field.
“I’ll have to manage it whenever I’m back, probably [for] a few weeks after based on the injury and where I’m at,” Pickett admitted.
Kenny Pickett’s Return Timeline Doesn’t Match Up With Browns’ Timeline to Name Starting QB
GettyCleveland Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett.
Pickett added that he believes that will give him a “great opportunity just to work from the pocket,” but that is a spin that’s hard to sell given the urgency in Cleveland to make a couple of big decisions in the QB room.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski in his own press conference Saturday wouldn’t commit to Pickett’s readiness to return for joint practices against the Carolina Panthers next week, which lead into the team’s first preseason game on August 8. Furthermore, most insiders around the league expect the Browns to decide on a starting QB by the middle of the month, and the timelines simply don’t stack up.
Pickett may not be a full-go at practice before the team makes its QB1 call, which means he isn’t going to be the choice.
The QB also essentially admitted Saturday that he won’t be the complete version of himself for several weeks after he does get back to practice on a full-time basis. That means his return to 100 percent functionality may not happen until Cleveland is preparing to take the field against the Cincinnati Bengals for the season-opener September 7.
Kenny Pickett’s Temporary Hamstring Injury Shouldn’t Stop Interested Teams From Trade Discussions
GettyCleveland Browns quarterbacks Kenny Pickett (left) and Joe Flacco (right).
Sanders missed practice on Saturday with shoulder soreness. But unless that health issue is significant and/or some serious injury befalls Gabriel or Flacco, it’s hard to see the Browns justifying keeping Pickett rostered.
That becomes especially true if there is a team that needs a veteran backup, or potentially even an emergency starter for Week 1, and comes calling to check on Pickett.
He’s a limited practice participant on the mend who should be a full-go by September, so there is little reason a temporary hamstring issue should hold up a deal for Pickett, or even severely damage the Browns’ negotiating leverage in one.
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