Kenny Pickett Trade: Eagles secure Steelers QB as backup for Jalen Hurts
Kenny Pickett was supposed to be the successor to Ben Roethlisberger but will now instead become the backup to Jalen Hurts. After the Pittsburgh Steelers secured Russell Wilson's signature for the quarterback position, questions were circulating around what it would mean for the former first-round pick. Now, they have been answered and he will have no role to play as Mike Tomlin rebuilds around their new recruit from the Denver Broncos.
Kenny Pickett will be backing up the Eagles' starter after Philadelphia sent this year's third-round draft pick to Pittsburgh in return for the quarterback and a fourth-round pick in 2024 and a seventh-rounder in 2025. If Jalen Hurts struggles as he did towards the end of last season, the Eagles know they have a former franchise starter who can come in to relieve him. And Russell Wilson now has the incentive to play as well as he can, knowing he can have a long future with the Steelers.
Exploring reported reason for Kenny Pickett trade
Given Russell Wilson's age and that he was available on the cheap just for this year because the Broncos were picking up most of his contract, it looked a bit surprising that the Steelers were willing to trade away a younger quarterback. One would have thought that there would be a quarterback battle with both battling it out for the starting position.
Instead, reports are now emerging that Kenny Pickett did not take kindly to Russell Wilson's signing. It marks a pattern after he allegedly refused to suit up towards the end of last season when he was relegated to third choice after Mason Rudolph got the starting job.
There could be some truth to these reports considering how highly Mike Tomlin values the team over the individual. It is part of Pittsburgh Steelers culture.
At the same time, Kenny Pickett might have felt that he was being made the scapegoat after an atrocious spell by Matt Canada as the offensive coordinator of the franchise. Whatever the case, it looks even more unlikely than before that he will get a chance to prove his worth in the NFL because Jalen Hurts is the undisputed starter for the Eagles.
Both the quarterbacks are the same age and barring injury or extremely poor form, Hurts is expected to keep Pickett on the bench. Add in the retirement of Jason Kelce and how the offensive line might fare in the coming year, a more mobile quarterback like Jalen Hurts is expected to thrive above someone like the ex-Steelers starter.