Former Pittsburgh Steelers first-round quarterback Kenny Pickett made history with a third trade in his first four seasons. Pickett, though, could potentially be on the move yet again before the 2025 NFL trade deadline.
That’s what ESPN’s Dan Graziano suggested briefly while answering the true or false question of whether a quarterback will be traded before the deadline.
“True. Now, it could be someone such as Carson Wentz or Kenny Pickett, which wouldn’t exactly make headlines, but I think you’re asking if it could be someone such as Kirk Cousins or Russell Wilson or one of the Cleveland rookies,” wrote the ESPN analyst.
“Anything is possible.”
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler responded to Graziano mentioning Pickett in their trade conversation.
“Man, Pickett getting dealt for the third time in a calendar year would be tough on his real estate portfolio,” wrote Fowler.
Pickett has settled in as the Raiders‘ backup quarterback behind Geno Smith. Pickett didn’t play in any of the team’s first four games this season.
The Raiders acquired the 27-year-old quarterback from the Cleveland Browns on August 25. The Browns dealt Pickett to clear some room in their crowded quarterback room.
Cleveland originally acquired Pickett from the Philadelphia Eagles on March 10. That was prior to the Browns signing Joe Flacco or drafting Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders.
Could the Las Vegas Raiders Trade QB Kenny Pickett?
It’s honestly hard to believe NFL teams could trade the same quarterback three times in one year. But as Graziano put it, anything’s possible.
If the Raiders trade Pickett, then he will tie the NFL record of four trades in a career. The Steelers first dealt the signal-caller to the Eagles in March 2024.
According to NFL Plus, Pickett, along with fellow quarterback Sam Howell, became the first player in at least 30 years traded three times in their first four seasons.
Pickett is still on his rookie NFL contract.
If Pickett never requested a trade from the Steelers, he might still be Pittsburgh’s starter. Pickett requested a fresh start away from Pittsburgh after the Steelers signed Russell Wilson in March 2024.
But Wilson began the 2024 campaign with a calf injury. Backup Justin Fields, who the Steelers acquired to replace Pickett, started the first six games.
If Pickett played well in those six contests, it’s not out of the realm of possibility that Pickett would have remained the team’s starter, and the Steelers wouldn’t have signed Aaron Rodgers this past offseason.
With the Raiders, Pickett is still waiting for his next NFL starting opportunity.
Why Raiders Probably Won’t Trade Pickett
It’s important to note that Graziano didn’t really name Pickett a trade candidate. The ESPN analyst used Pickett’s name to identify the tier of quarterback potentially on the move at the NFL trade deadline.
In reality, though, it seems unlikely the Raiders would deal Pickett without another suitable backup for Smith.
Las Vegas acquired Pickett to replace Aidan O’Connell, who suffered a fractured right wrist in the preseason finale. NFL.com’s Michael Baca wrote on August 24 that O’Connell was expected to miss 6-8 weeks.
On Sunday, it will be six weeks since O’Connell’s injury. There has yet to be a firm update on O’Connell’s status, which suggests he’s not close to returning.
If the Raiders shop Pickett on the trade market, it’s highly likely they will have to get O’Connell back on the field first.
The NFL trade deadline is November 4. That means O’Connell has about a month to fully recover and be in a position to serve as Smith’s backup. Otherwise, it’s likely Pickett will stay in Las Vegas as the backup signal-caller for the rest of 2025.
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