It turns out the Kenny Pickett experiment in Cleveland was always on borrowed time. With Joe Flacco’s ironman streak intact and rookie Dillon Gabriel’s fast climb up the depth chart, the Browns had little room for another question mark at quarterback. When the Silver and Black came calling, they flipped Pickett to the Raiders for a fifth-rounder in 2026—ironically, the same draft capital he had surrendered to the Eagles back in March to land him.

Meanwhile, the move revealed Kevin Stefanski’s bigger play. By stockpiling another draft pick, the Browns’ head coach is clearly keeping his eye on the QB-heavy 2026 draft class. For weeks, the Browns suggested they were ready to ride with Pickett as the guy, but those were smoke signals. Pickett’s Grade 2 hamstring pull on July 2

See Full Page