ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – JANUARY 15: Kenny Pickett #8 of the Pittsburgh Steelers warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on January 15, 2024 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Sarah Stier/Getty Images)
The Pittsburgh Steelers pulled off one of the biggest stunners of the young 2024 NFL offseason, trading away third-year quarterback Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles just days after signing Russell Wilson.
Per NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, the Eagles are receiving Pickett and the No. 120 selection in this year’s draft in exchange for the No. 98 pick and a pair of 2025 seventh-round draft choices:
The full trade compensation:
— #Eagles get QB Kenny Pickett and the Steelers original 4th round pick (120 overall) in 2024.
— #Steelers get Eagles 3rd round comp pick (98 overall) and the Eagles highest two 7th round draft picks in 2025.— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 15, 2024
The Steelers made the move because of the way Pickett was poorly handling the arrival of Russell Wilson, according to sources. That came on the heels of Pickett's behavior last season when he refused to dress as the emergency third quarterback in Seattle in Week 17. https://t.co/mirLR1UJFP
— Gerry Dulac (@gerrydulac) March 15, 2024
According to Gerry Dulac of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh traded Pickett because he “was poorly handling the arrival of” Wilson. Dulac noted that Pickett also ruffled feathers when he refused to suit up for the club’s Week 17 game against the Seattle Seahawks.
Also Read: REPORT: Russell Wilson “Was Open To” Joining Two Other AFC Teams If He Didn’t Land With Steelers
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin stated that the team would add quarterback competition following the club’s loss to the Buffalo Bills on Super Wild Card Weekend.
Once the Denver Broncos decided to cut Wilson and take on $85 million in dead money (an NFL record) for two years, the Steelers swooped in and signed the nine-time Pro Bowler on a one-year deal.
Rather than “compete” for the QB1 job in Pittsburgh, Pickett ends up getting traded to an Eagles team led by one of the league’s top signal-callers in Jalen Hurts. It’s indeed difficult to comprehend how this trade benefits Pickett if he wants to be a starter, but it’s a nice pickup for the Eagles nonetheless.
And unless Pittsburgh GM Omar Khan has another move up his sleeve, it looks like Wilson will be the club’s starting QB in 2024.
