Browns Forgot Former Steelers QB Kenny Pickett's Option

Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry misspoke when asked about former Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett's fifth-year option.

During his press conference following Day 3 of the NFL Draft, a reporter asked Berry if he had to decide in May whether or not to pick up that option. He incorrectly answered by stating that the choice would've fallen into the hands of the Philadelphia Eagles before they traded Pickett to Cleveland in March for fellow signal caller Dorian Thompson-Robinson and a fifth-round pick.

"So that would have been last year with Philly," Berry said. "You have to make that decision after year three, since he's already in year four. That's not a decision we make."

As Berry noted, teams are tasked with resolving fifth-year options, which are only applicable to former first-round picks, when a player is entering their fourth year in the league.

Since Pickett was taken by Pittsburgh in 2022, the time for that verdict has arrived and is not in the hands of the Eagles considering they traded him before having to do so.

Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot reported on Monday that the Browns plan to decline that option, meaning Pickett will become an unrestricted free agent next offseason.

It was a no-brainer for Cleveland, who just drafted Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders in the third and fifth rounds, respectively, while also signing Joe Flacco earlier this month and having Deshaun Watson under contract for the next two seasons, who is currently carrying a cap hit of over $80 million for the 2026 campaign.

Had the organization picked up the option, Pickett would've earned $22.117 million in 2026. As for this upcoming year, he'll account for a rather miniscule $2.623 million against the cap.

He has a chance to grab the starting job for the Browns, with Flacco likely representing his fiercest competition while Watson deals with an Achilles injury.

Pickett threw for 4,474 yards, 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions in 25 games with the Steelers before being moved to the Philadelphia Eagles in March 2024 alongside a 2024 fourth-round pick for a 2024 third-rounder and two 2025 seventh-rounders.

There, he served as the primary backup to Jalen Hurts as the Eagles won their second Super Bowl in franchise history.

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