The Cleveland Browns needed to find at least one quarterback in the offseason.
They did so when they traded for Kenny Pickett.
And while most fans assumed this was a depth move and he was going to be a backup, that might not be the case anymore.
When asked about Pickett, head coach Kevin Stefanski talked about how quarterbacks have to go down different paths to establish themselves in the league, and he claimed that Pickett was already quite experienced and had won plenty of games in this league (via SiriusXM NFL Radio).
“This is a young player that’s won football games,” Stefanski said.
"This is a young player that's won football games." @Browns HC Kevin Stefanski on the addition of QB Kenny Pickett and the depth of the quarterback class in the NFL draft.
📻 https://t.co/xM0RxQYWNu#Browns | #DawgPound | #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/Rn6ijF9vEr
— SiriusXM NFL Radio (@SiriusXMNFL) April 6, 2025
Stefanski claims that they believe in Pickett as a person, and they like his makeup and work ethic.
He recalled that he went 7-5 as a rookie and 7-5 in his second year as well, and winning football games in the NFL isn’t easy at all.
Of course, we’ve seen struggling quarterbacks turn the page when they arrive somewhere else, and Pickett is young, so he could still turn out to be good.
Also, the Pittsburgh Steelers never seemed truly sold or committed to him, and they didn’t necessarily do much to put him in a position to succeed, either.
The Browns will likely go after a rookie quarterback in the NFL Draft, but this class isn’t that impressive.
Whoever they get might need some time to get ready to be a starter – if ever.
This doesn’t sound like an ideal situation, but we’ve seen some late bloomers in the past, and it seems like the Browns will just have to hope that Pickett is one of them.
NEXT: Adam Schefter Is Convinced About Browns' Choice At Pick No. 2
