<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/raiders-news-kenny-pickett-geno-smith-chiefs-should-be-permanent');   ga('set', 'title', 'Raiders’ Kenny Pickett replaces Geno Smith vs. Chiefs, and that should be permanent');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Kenny-Pickett-with-Raiders.jpg"><figcaption>Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Raiders’ Kenny Pickett replaces Geno Smith vs. Chiefs, and that should be permanent</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-19T12:48:40-07:00">October 19th, 12:48pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-19T13:05:12-07:00">October 19th, 1:05pm</time><address><a>Christopher Hennessy</a>Christopher Hennessy is a Senior Editor at ClutchPoints, with expertise in MLB, NHL and golf. Chris graduated with a journalism degree from Fordham University in 2022. He has also worked at Spectrum News One in Albany, New York and with The Hockey Writers as a New York Islanders writer. Chris is originally from Connecticut and is a lifelong New York Yankees, Islanders, and Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Las Vegas Raiders</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Las Vegas Raiders lost 31-0 to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, falling to 2-5 on the season. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/raiders-rumors-pete-carroll-considered-benching-geno-smith">Pete Carroll’s first season in Vegas has been a disaster</a>, to say the least. The Raiders replaced Geno Smith with Kenny Pickett late in the game, <a href="https://x.com/NFLonCBS/status/1979993759723954336" rel="noopener">with the outcome already</a> decided. While the former Pittsburgh Steelers first-rounder did not light the world on fire, Carroll should stick with Pickett over Smith moving forward.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Kenny Pickett's first snap of the day ended up in the hands of the Chiefs <a href="https://t.co/T7kKuciJt7">pic.twitter.com/T7kKuciJt7</a></p><p>— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NFLonCBS/status/1979993759723954336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 19, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Pickett went 2-2 for eight yards passing, losing one fumble early in his appearance. The Chiefs’ defense was firing on all cylinders against the poor Raiders’ offense on Sunday, and Pickett did not change that. While the ceiling with Pickett is low, they have seen the floor with Smith, and things cannot get worse.</p><p>Smith went 10-6 with just 67 yards and no turnovers in this matchup. Both quarterbacks were set up to fail with<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/raiders-news-pete-carroll-jakobi-meyers-brock-bowers-updates-chiefs"> Brock Bowers and Jakobi Meyers out for the game</a>. But without both of those players, Tre Tucker should have been a key part of the offense. He managed only five catches, all from Smith.</p><p>The Raiders have Smith under contract for two years beyond 2025, while Pickett is a free agent at the end of the season. Changing quarterbacks would not be a move for the future; it would be a move for this season. The Raiders need new life at quarterback coming out of their Week 8 bye, which only Pickett can provide them.</p><p>The Raiders turned to Aidan O’Connell for most of last season, which was a disaster. He is still on the roster, but Pickett is an unknown entity in Vegas that could help them turn things around. If Bowers and Meyers return in Week 9 against the Jacksonville Jaguars, they will be better off with a new quarterback in place. Then, with the week of rest and another of preparation, Pickett can give them new life.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Raiders’ Kenny Pickett replaces Geno Smith vs. Chiefs, and that should be permanent

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/why-pete-carroll-must-bench-geno-smith-kenny-pickett-salvage-raiders-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Pete Carroll must bench Geno Smith for Kenny Pickett to salvage Raiders’ season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Raiders-quarterback-Geno-Smith.jpg"><figcaption>© Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Why Pete Carroll must bench Geno Smith for Kenny Pickett to salvage Raiders’ season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-05T16:58:04-07:00">October 5th, 4:58pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-05T17:00:11-07:00">October 5th, 5:00pm</time><address><a>Abdullah Imran</a>Abdullah Imran works as an Associate Editor for All Sports at ClutchPoints. He’s been a sports fan his entire life and enjoys writing about every sport. He has spent three years in sports journalism and loves analyzing games. In his free time, he very much enjoys binge-watching shows and playing video games.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Las Vegas Raiders</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/3-raiders-bold-predictions-for-2025-nfl-season">Las Vegas Raiders’ 2025 campaign has spiraled into disaster</a>. After a 40–6 humiliation at the hands of the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5, they sit at 1–4, and most of their struggles trace directly to the quarterback position. Geno Smith was supposed to breathe life into the Raiders’ offense, but he’s sucked the wind out of their sails instead.</p><p>Smith, who arrived in Las Vegas via trade from the Seattle Seahawks and signed a two-year, $75 million extension with a $40 million cap hit this season, has been nothing short of a liability. Through five games, he’s thrown nine interceptions, the most in the NFL and more than the Raiders’ total team touchdowns (eight). <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/raiders-news-geno-smith-interception-fest-not-seen-since-1982">No Las Vegas quarterback has thrown as many picks in his first five games</a> since Jim Plunkett in 1982, according to ESPN Research. Smith’s interception rate of 5.5% is the second-worst in the league and on pace to be the highest of his 12-year career.</p><p>Beyond turnovers, the advanced metrics paint an equally grim picture. Smith’s 74.1 grade ranks just 24th of 37 qualifying quarterbacks, and his EPA per dropback (-0.07) ranks 30th overall, per PFSN’s NFL QB Impact model. His sack rate of 8.9% is the 27th-worst in the league, the highest pressure-to-sack ratio of his career. These inefficiencies have neutralized any offensive rhythm, and even his late-game stat padding has failed to disguise the regression.</p><p>In Sunday’s loss to the Colts, Smith went 25-of-36 for 228 yards and two interceptions, taking four sacks and committing another red-zone turnover. Head coach Pete Carroll’s vision of an innovative Raiders offense has become one-dimensional and prone to errors.</p><p>Smith’s nine interceptions have directly contributed to the Las Vegas’ four-game losing streak, and his decision-making has eroded week by week. The disparity is evident when compared to other quarterbacks around the league, players like Josh Allen, Dak Prescott, and Matthew Stafford, who have led their teams efficiently.</p><p>Meanwhile, Kenny Pickett, acquired for a fifth-round pick before the season, remains unused. The former first-rounder has logged 4,765 career passing yards, 15 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions during his time with the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Philadelphia Eagles. Pickett isn’t unproven, he’s experienced enough to stabilize a locker room desperate for direction. The Raiders’ refusal to give him snaps, even in blowouts, is indefensible.</p><p>In response to a question about switching from Smith to Pickett against the Colts, Carroll responded:</p><p>“I was thinking of a reason to do that, but here’s a reason why I didn’t do that. We need to stay out there and keep practicing. We need to keep practicing, we need the reps, we need the turns, we need to run the system, we need to feel it, we need to see the guys get their opportunities to improve. It’s not like a big change. I thought about it… But that’s not what’s necessary. We need to get better and get right, so these are the games that we’re working on, and these are the games that we learn from and grow from so that we can change the course of the way games are going.”</p><p>If Carroll’s goal is to “get better and get right,” that improvement won’t come with Smith continuing to sabotage possessions. The Raiders invested heavily in a veteran who has become the league’s interception leader and one of its least efficient passers. Sticking with him risks turning a bad season into a wasted one.</p><p>The solution is clear: <b>bench Geno Smith and start Kenny Pickett</b>.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Pete Carroll must bench Geno Smith for Kenny Pickett to salvage Raiders’ season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/raiders-news-pete-carroll-5-words-possibly-benching-geno-smith-kenny-pickett');   ga('set', 'title', 'Raiders’ Pete Carroll utters 5 words on possibly benching Geno Smith for Kenny Pickett');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Geno-Smith_53be10.jpg"><figcaption>Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Raiders’ Pete Carroll utters 5 words on possibly benching Geno Smith for Kenny Pickett</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-09-29T07:37:00-07:00">September 29th, 7:37am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-09-29T07:37:00-07:00">September 29th, 7:37am</time><address><a>Dan Fappiano</a>Dan Fappiano is a Connecticut-based sports journalist with over five years of professional experience. After graduating from Central Connecticut State University with a bachelor's degree in journalism, he has covered every sport from fencing to football in the online and print medium. Dan hopes to see his beloved Bears win a Super Bowl someday.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Las Vegas Raiders</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Las Vegas Raiders suffered a shocking defeat at the hands of the Chicago Bears via <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/chicago-bears/bears-news-caleb-williams-reveals-best-player-he-faced-after-raiders-game">a last-minute blocked field goal</a>. However, perhaps what was more stunning was how close the game was despite quarterback Geno Smith’s performance.</p><p>In the 25-24 loss, Smith completed 14-of-21 passes for 117 yards, two touchdowns and three interceptions. His turnovers halted Las Vegas’ momentum, and while they managed to keep Chicago at bay, clearly Smith’s stat line is not that of a winning quarterback.</p><p>However, head coach Pete Carroll isn’t ready to turn to Kenny Pickett. He <a href="https://www.si.com/nfl/raiders/pete-carroll-las-vegas-maxx0crosby-geno-smith-chicago-bears" rel="noopener">still believes in the veteran</a> and expects Smith to turn things around, via Ezekiel Trezevant of Sports Illustrated.</p><p>“No. Nope. We’re not there,” Carroll said of replacing Smith with backup Kenny Pickett.</p><p>“You can’t expect to turn the ball over like that and win,” he continued. “It doesn’t happen, but we overcame it because the defense was so spectacular in the first half making those stops. They were great, and it gave us a chance. The score could have been ridiculous after the first quarter, but it wasn’t, and so we learn. ”</p><p>Smith threw his first pick on the Raiders’ first drive of the game. On Las Vegas’ next opportunity, he and running back Ashton Jeanty were blown up behind the line, leading to a fumble. Then, the quarterback threw his second interception on the team’s final drive of the half. Somehow, someway, the Raiders still led 14-9.</p><p>In a not-so shocking twist, Smith then threw his third pick on the first possession of the second half. The Raiders battled all the way until the end. However, they gave the Bears too much time to capitalize, which they eventually did.</p><p>While most will focus on the blocked field goal, Smith’s play was the real red flag from Week 4. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/raiders-news-brutal-geno-smith-sinks-vegas-chargers">It isn’t the first time he has struggled in his Raiders debut</a>. Still, Carroll is holding firm and is confident Smith will get back on track.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Raiders’ Pete Carroll utters 5 words on possibly benching Geno Smith for Kenny Pickett

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/cleveland-browns/browns-add-quarterback-after-kenny-pickett-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Browns add new quarterback after Kenny Pickett trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Cleveland-adds-new-quarterback-after-Kenny-Pickett-trade.jpg"><figcaption>Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Browns add new quarterback after Kenny Pickett trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-27T13:29:33-07:00">August 27th, 1:29pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-27T13:54:11-07:00">August 27th, 1:54pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Browns</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Cleveland Browns’ quarterback situation has been one of the main stories of the offseason. The Browns seemingly ended the saga when they named <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/browns-news-joe-flacco-wins-cleveland-4-way-qb-competition">Joe Flacco as the starter behind center</a>. However, that was the beginning of a slew of moves. With Shedeur Sanders sitting as the third stringer, Cleveland traded Kenny Pickett away. Then, the team brought in Bailey Zappe.</p><p>Zappe, who was cut by the Kansas City Chiefs, is coming back to the Browns for his second stint. The 26-year-old quarterback played one game for Cleveland last season in a year where the Browns struggled to find stability behind center. He could serve a similar role this season on a team steeped in controversy at the quarterback position.</p><p>NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero remarked at <a href="https://x.com/TomPelissero/status/1960795776302674358" rel="noopener">how many quarterbacks</a> Cleveland is starting the season with.</p><p>“Another QB in Cleveland,” Pelissero said. “The Browns are signing Bailey Zappe to the practice squad, per source. So the QB room now includes Joe Flacco, Dillon Gabriel, Shedeur Sanders and Zappe, who previously spent part of last season in Cleveland.”</p><p>Zappe’s role with Cleveland is up in the air. However, Kevin Stefanski was ready to make Pickett the backup before he got injured during minicamp. He never saw the field during the Browns’ preseason and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/raiders-news-las-vegas-lands-kenny-pickett-trade-browns">Cleveland traded him to the Las Vegas Raiders</a> earlier this week. Now, the team’s depth chart features Flacco, Zappe, Sanders, and Dillon Gabriel.</p><p>Before acquiring Zappe, the Browns said that Gabriel is the No. 2 quarterback this season. While the addition of another QB might not change that for him, Sanders’ spot is at risk. The former Colorado Buffalo stood out in his first preseason game, but it wasn’t enough to change his coach’s mind. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/overreactions-shedeur-sanders-disastrous-preseason-finale-browns">Sanders’ preseason finale all but sealed his fate</a> on the roster.</p><p>Zappe comes in with some familiarity with Stefanski’s offense. In a pinch, he is a competent replacement for Flacco should something happen. If nothing else, this addition adds a new wrinkle to an already fascinating quarterback situation.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Browns add new quarterback after Kenny Pickett trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nfl/nfl-stories/kenny-pickett-trade-grades-for-raiders-browns');   ga('set', 'title', 'Kenny Pickett trade grades for Raiders, Browns');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/leveland-Browns-quarterback-Kenny-Pickett-.jpg"><figcaption>Ken Blaze-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Kenny Pickett trade grades for Raiders, Browns</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-08-25T22:15:11-07:00">August 25th, 10:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-08-25T22:15:11-07:00">August 25th, 10:15pm</time><address><a>Matty Breisch</a>Matty Breisch is a Senior Editor who specializes in NFL and WWE content at ClutchPoints. He can be read at Heavy, FanSided, The Needle Drop, Philadelphia Sports Network, and right here at ClutchPoints. Are you ready to read about football and wrestling? Well, you've come to the right place.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Cleveland Browns</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>For the second time this year, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/las-vegas-raiders/raiders-news-las-vegas-lands-kenny-pickett-trade-browns">Kenny Pickett has been traded</a>, going from the Super Bowl-winning Philadelphia Eagles to the Cleveland Browns, and now to the Las Vegas Raiders in exchange for a 2026 fifth-round pick.</p><p>With Aidan O’Connell expected to miss months, not weeks, following a fractured forearm, the Raiders found themselves in dire need of another just in case something happened to Geno Smith, with 2025 sixth-round pick Cam Miller simply unready to take on such a major responsibility right out of the gates.</p><p>Fortunately, the Browns famously had more quarterbacks than opportunities for playing time, with a pair of mid-round rookies, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/browns-passes-on-shedeur-sanders-again-draft-dillon-gabriel">Dillion Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders</a>, both flashing enough potential to justify being gameday options behind Joe Flacco.</p><p>After a summer where it looked like four quarterbacks might just make the Browns’ roster, the team found a deal for their least likely contributor long-term and helped the Raiders when they needed it most, forming the rare win-win trade that helps all parties involved.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Browns-quarterback-Kenny-Pickett-left-chats-with-wide-receiver-Jamari-Thrash.jpg"><figcaption>Jeff Lange / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h2><b>The Raiders lucked out by landing Kenny Pickett</b></h2><p>When news broke that O’Connell was going to be out of action for an extended period of time, it wasn’t if the Raiders were going to trade for a veteran quarterback to back up Smith, but who the player was going to be and how much it was going to cost to get a deal done.</p><p>While Smith has played a ton of games over the past three seasons, recording more starts from 2022-24 than his previous eight seasons combined, at 34, he’s one of the elder statesmen of the NFL, with a body that simply doesn’t bounce back in the same way as one belonging to someone in their 20s.</p><p>Granted, the Raiders likely won’t be running Smith on too many designed runs, especially with Ashton Jeanty drafted early on to serve as the team’s bellcow. But over the course of an NFL game and especially over a 17-game season, quarterbacks are going to get hit, and may ultimately spend time on the bench, as happened to Smith in 2023.</p><p>Enter Pickett, who knows how to win games at the NFL level in multiple different situations.</p><p>Originally drafted in the first round out of Pittsburgh by the team across town, Pickett’s run with the Steelers was up and down, with the team ultimately trading him to the Eagles in favor of rolling with the dynamic duo of Justin Fields and Russell Wilson, neither of whom is on the team in 2025.</p><p>From there, Pickett played a few games for the Eagles, going 1-0 as a starter despite playing through a rib injury and proving that he can be a winning quarterback on a really good roster over a five-game sample size. While the Eagles ultimately chose to roll with Tanner McKee as their QB2 heading into the fall – even if they just traded for their own backup quarterback due to injury in Sam Howell – in the end, the Browns felt comfortable with Pickett as their guy heading into the fall before adding Flacco, Gabriel, or Sanders to their roster.</p><p>After missing time over the summer due to injury, Pickett is likely the least experienced quarterback in Kevin Stefanski’s system, which, when coupled with the long-term team control of the rookies, made him the odd man out for the Browns. For the <a href="https://x.com/MikeGarafolo/status/1960131160157352315" rel="noopener">low-low price of a fifth-round pick</a> – the same selection the Browns initially traded – the Raiders get that final year of Pickett’s rookie contract and hope that he will perform up to his Eagles’ standards should his number be called this fall.</p><p><b>Trade grade: B+</b></p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Browns-quarterback-Dillon-Gabriel.jpg"><figcaption>Ken Blaze-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h2><b>The Browns did right by all of their quarterbacks</b></h2><p>When the Browns traded for Pickett, they were in a very different place.</p><p>They had just re-signed Myles Garrett, were in the middle of quarterback evaluations – when Sanders and Cam Ward looked like they would go No. 1 and No. 2 in some order – and just needed to guarantee a base level of quarterback play under center for Stefanski’s squad, especially after their 2024 season fell apart in such spectacular fashion.</p><p>Fast forward to August of 2025, and Pickett was simply unnecessary on the Browns’ roster, with his expected spot on the 53-man roster being deemed a misallocated asset, instead of a luxury for a team that has often been cursed from a quarterback health standpoint.</p><p>Will Flacco play at a high level for 17, 20, or even 21 games, leading the Browns to their first Super Bowl since being reformed in 1999? Theoretically, he could, but there isn’t a huge sample size of players doing so at 40, which Flacco turned earlier this year.</p><p>No, when Flacco ends up on the bench for one reason or another, few fans are going to want to see the Browns bring out Pickett in the hopes of winning a few more games, presumably including owner Jimmy Haslam, who can’t be particularly happy with how many quarterback jerseys he’s had to print out over the last 26 seasons and counting.</p><p>By trading Pickett for the same pick he was acquired for, the Browns effectively get to have a mulligan on that move and can now internally debate who gets the QB2 nod behind the former Ravens quarterback, with Gabriel and Sanders both having flashed why they were premier prospects coming out of college in the preseason. While only time will tell if either or even both quarterbacks are franchise-caliber at the NFL level, no one will find out unless they actually get to take the field against professional talent, which is a much more likely occurrence now that Pickett is out of the way on the depth chart.</p><p><b>Trade grade: A</b></p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2025 SEASON STATS
PASSING YDS	PASSING TDS	INTERCEPTIONS	POSITION RANK
8	0	0	-

2025 SEASON STATS
PASSING YDS	PASSING TDS	INTERCEPTIONS	POSITION RANK
8	0	0	-

Kenny
Pickett

2022 Projected vs Actual Pts

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