Eagles acquire Kenny Pickett in a trade with the Steelers
The Philadelphia Eagles comprehend the significance of having depth at the quarterback position, along with the importance of keeping an eye on league movements and understanding their potential repercussions.
When the Pittsburgh Steelers acquired Russell Wilson as their new quarterback, the Eagles recognized a chance to assess the feasibility of acquiring Kenny Pickett, the 2022 first-round pick who started for them at the beginning of the 2023 season, to serve as backup for Jalen Hurts.
Ultimately, the Steelers were prepared to part ways with Pickett to focus on supporting Wilson.
The Eagles announced on Saturday morning their agreement to trade for Pickett, the 20th overall pick in 2022, along with a 2024 fourth-round pick (No. 120 overall), in exchange for a 2024 third-round pick (No. 98 overall) and two seventh-round picks in 2025. The trade is subject to a physical examination. This deal maintains the Eagles’ total of eight selections in the upcoming NFL Draft. The last instance of the Eagles acquiring a veteran quarterback through trade was in August 2021 when they added Gardner Minshew to provide depth behind Hurts.
Standing at 6 feet 3 inches and weighing 220 pounds, Pickett now gets a fresh start playing for the team he grew up cheering for in Oakhurst, New Jersey. He has fond memories of attending Eagles games with his father, Ken, and even meeting Donovan McNabb at a fan festival during his childhood.
Prior to being drafted as the first quarterback in the 2022 NFL Draft by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Pickett excelled at the University of Pittsburgh, where he finished third in Heisman Trophy voting in 2021. His achievements include leading the Panthers to the 2021 ACC Championship and setting various school single-season records in passing yards, passing touchdowns, total touchdowns, and completions.
With an NFL debut in Week 4 of his rookie season, Pickett set a franchise record for most passing yards in a first career start the following week against the Buffalo Bills. He became one of the few rookie quarterbacks to secure a victory in their first home start since the AFL-NFL merger in 1970, and only the eighth rookie in NFL history to defeat Tom Brady.
Pickett showcased significant potential by throwing just one interception in his last eight starts of the season. He led the Steelers to win six of their final seven games, finishing with a 9-8 overall record. Pickett led all NFL rookies in passing yards for the season, joining Ben Roethlisberger as the only rookies in Steelers history to pass for over 2,000 yards.
In his second season, Pickett started the first 12 games and won seven of them, but suffered an ankle injury in Week 13. The Steelers opted to continue with Mason Rudolph at quarterback for the rest of the season, leading to a loss in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs against the Buffalo Bills.
Overall, Pickett’s record as a starter stands at 14-10, completing 62.6 percent of his passes for 4,474 yards, with 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions.
With Hurts, Pickett, and Tanner McKee now on the roster, Marcus Mariota, last year’s No. 2 quarterback, has signed with Washington in free agency.
