The Cleveland Browns, like several teams across the league, are looking to find their quarterback of the future. That guy could already be on the roster, but new head coach Todd Monken hasn’t given Shedeur Sanders any assurances in terms of his future at the position.
With that in mind, the Browns are seemingly very much on the prowl for their newest starting QB, potentially looking to find someone to compete in the draft or in free agency. In the early stages of the legal tampering period, several potential options were claimed by other teams, including Malik Willis, Tua Tagovailoa, and Gardner Minshew, to name a few.
Former Brown Kenny Pickett also found himself a new home, putting a kabash for any chances of him returning to the Browns in 2026.
“Source: Kenny Pickett has agreed to a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers worth up to $7.5M that includes $4 million in guarantees,” Adam Schefter posted on X.
Source: Kenny Pickett has agreed to a one-year deal with the Carolina Panthers worth up to $7.5M that includes $4 million in guarantees.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 9, 2026
As Schefter noted, Pickett is now a member of the Carolina Panthers, where he’ll be the backup for Bryce Young, who has had his fair share of ups and downs throughout his young career. Pickett is a former first-rounder himself, so he’ll get an opportunity to compete for the starting job with someone who’s facing a lot of pressure.
Pickett’s time with the Browns was short and sweet, as he was added shortly after the 2024 season, and didn’t even play a snap with the team before being traded to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2025. He started in two games last year, largely backing up Geno Smith and relieving him for a few games when he was out with injuries.
As NFL fans have seen lately, anything can happen in this league. Sam Darnold was said to be a broken prospect who was seeing ghosts with the New York Jets, and he just won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks.
New landing spots can make the world of difference, and perhaps all Pickett needs is somewhere else to call home to further his development and hone his skills as an NFL QB.
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