Cleveland Browns trade QB not named Shedeur Sanders to Raiders
By Josh Sanchez
The Cleveland Browns began making roster cuts on Sunday afternoon by releasing former Pro Bowl quarterback Tyler Huntley, who finished the game under center in the team's final game of the 2025 NFL preseason.
Cleveland still had four signal-callers on the roster -- Joe Flacco, Kenny Pickett, Dillon Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders -- so there were some decisions to be made with the roster cut deadline approaching.
On Monday night, the team did just that.
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The Browns are trading backup quarterback Kenny Pickett, who was a backup last season on the Philadelphia Eagles' Super Bowl-winning team, to the Las Vegas Raiders, according to ESPN insider Adam Schefter.
The Raiders sent a 2026 sixth-round pick to the Browns in exchange for the backup quarterback.
Las Vegas was in the market for another quarterback to play behind starter Geno Smith after primary backup Aidan O'Connell suffered a fractured wrist in the preseason finale.
MORE: Browns rookie Quinshon Judkins reportedly could leave NFL for college football return
O'Connell is expected to miss six-to-eight weeks.
Pickett provides a solid safety net behind Smith and has plenty of starting experience thanks to his failed tenure with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but the Raiders will be hoping to see Smith stay healthy throughout the duration of the regular season.
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