KENNY PICKETT is being tipped for an exit from the Cleveland Browns – just months after joining.
The NFL organization currently have four active quarterbacks on the depth chart.
Kenny Pickett is fighting for a spot on the Browns roster[/caption]
The QB is part of a four-man quarterback group in Cleveland[/caption]
Shedeur Sanders is currently fourth on the depth chart[/caption]
Cleveland drafted two rookie QBs in April’s NFL Draft in Green Bay, Wisconsin.
Shedeur Sanders, a projected first-round pick, was selected by the Browns in the fifth round of the draft.
It came two rounds after the team selected fellow rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel.
Sanders is currently fourth on the team’s depth chart behind Gabriel and veterans Pickett and Joe Flacco.
Both rookies are being tipped to feature this season, with Browns QB1 Deshaun Watson out for the duration with a torn Achilles.
ESPN’s Pete Schrager believes Pickett, who is the final year of a $14million contract, could be the unlucky player who fails to make the cut.
“I would be surprised personally if both of those veteran quarterbacks are still on the roster come Week 1, and you have the two rookies,” Schrager told The Pat McAfee Show.
“You’ve got Flacco as your starter Week 1, [Sanders] or Gabriel as your backup, then you got one who’s not active, not dressed, but is obviously still on the team.“
Pickett was selected in the first round of the 2022 Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The 27-year-old played two years as a starter for the Steelers, where he went 14-10.
He requested a trade after the arrival of Russell Wilson to Pittsburgh last summer.
Pickett started just one game last season for the Philadelphia Eagles before a trade to the Browns in March.
Sanders meanwhile is out to prove his doubters wrong after slipping to the fifth round in April.
The former Colorado Buffalo has been cited twice for speeding in his car this month.
Schrager believes this is a “very important” year for the 23-year-old.
NFL WEEK 1 SCHEDULE
(All times ET)
Thur 4 Sept
8.20 pm – Dallas Cowboys at Philadelphia Eagles
Fri 5 Sept
8pm – Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers
Sun 7 Sept
1pm – Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Atlanta Falcons
1pm – Cincinnati Bengals at Cleveland Browns
1pm – Miami Dolphins at Indianapolis Colts
1pm – Las Vegas Raiders at New England Patriots
1pm – Arizona Cardinals at New Orleans Saints
1pm – Pittsburgh Steelers at New York Jets
1pm – New York Giants at Washington Commanders
1pm – Carolina Panthers at Jacksonville Jaguars
4.05 pm – Tennessee Titans at Denver Broncos
4.05 pm – San Francisco 49ers at Seattle Seahawks
4.25 pm – Detroit Lions at Green Bay Packers
4.25 pm – Houston Texans at Los Angeles Rams
8.20 pm – Baltimore Ravens at Buffalo Bills
Mon 8 Sept
8.15 pm – Minnesota Vikings at Chicago Bears
And he believes both rookies will get their chance to shine – with Pickett likely to be looking for a new team come August.
“I know that this year is going to be very important for Sanders and Dillon Gabriel, and the reason is they’re both third-round and fifth-round picks,” Schrager continued.
“When you have two first-round picks of teams that are not necessarily expected to be Super Bowl contenders, quarterback is always going to be looming in every conversation.
“So I think [the Browns] are gonna wanna get those guys action — Gabriel and Sanders.”
