The Philadelphia Eagles have found their new backup quarterback after striking a surprising trade for Pittsburgh Steelers signal-caller Kenny Pickett. The news comes after Pickett spenT the last two seasons as the Steelers starting quarterback.
Pickett made 25 starts for Pittsburgh during his two seasons with the Steelers. The Eagles were able to land Pickett for just a pick swap.
“Trade terms, per sources: 🏈Steelers get pick No. 98 and two 2025 7th-round picks,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter detailed in a March 15, 2024 message. “🏈Eagles get QB Kenny Pickett and No. 120. It’s a similar value to Washington got for Sam Howell.”
The Eagles were in the market for a new backup quarterback for Jalen Hurts after losing Marcus Mariota to the Washington Commanders. Philadelphia had been linked to other veteran quarterbacks but are taking a swing on a signal-caller with upside in Pickett.
Eagles Rumors: Kenny Pickett Was Frustrated After the Steelers Signed QB Russell Wilson
Can confirm @gerrydulac‘s reporting that Kenny Pickett’s handling of the Russell Wilson signing was a factor in the @Steelers‘ decision. He communicated to the team he was fine with competing for the job, then went the other way when Wilson was added. So he’s gone.
The Steelers were initially planning to keep Pickett even after signing former Pro Bowler Russell Wilson. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Gerry Dulac reported that Pickett’s “poorly handling” of the signing proved to be the tipping point for the deal with Philadelphia.
“The Steelers made the move because of the way Pickett was poorly handling the arrival of Russell Wilson, according to sources,” Dulac noted in a March 15 message on X. “That came on the heels of Pickett’s behavior last season when he refused to dress as the emergency third quarterback in Seattle in Week 17.”
Pickett still has two seasons remaining on a four-year, $14 million rookie contract. The quarterback is slated to have a $1.9 million salary and cap hit for 2024.
Eagles QB Kenny Pickett Threw for 42 Touchdowns With the Pitt Panthers in 2021
Pickett has been unable to capture the same magic in the NFL that the 25-year-old displayed during his final collegiate season at Pitt. The quarterback threw for 4,319 yards, 42 touchdowns and 7 interceptions in 13 appearances for Pitt in 2021.
During this same season, Pickett added 241 rushing yards and 5 TDs on the ground. The Steelers selected Pickett with the No. 20 overall pick in the 2022 NFL draft.
Heading Into the 2022 NFL Draft, Kenny Pickett Drew Comparisons to Andy Dalton
The newest Eagles quarterback threw for 2,070 yards, 6 touchdowns and 4 interceptions while completing 62% of his passes in 12 starts last season. Heading into the 2022 draft, NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein compared Pickett to Andy Dalton.
“He’s a fairly toolsy pocket passer with good mobility,” Zierlein said of Pickett in his pre-draft profile. “He operated in a passing scheme featuring vertical concepts that created big-play opportunities but left food on the plate when he failed to play chess against the back-end of the coverage.
“… The top indicator for future success or failure will likely rest in a team’s ability to build Pickett’s trust, poise and discipline from the pocket. He can make all the throws, but he’ll only be able to execute against disguised fronts and NFL pressure if he’s willing to hang in and win with his eyes first. He carries a boom/bust label, but the 2021 tape and productivity showed off his potential to become a good starter in time.”
