We didn't see this coming. After a few calm days following the initial rush of free agency, we received news that the Pittsburgh Steelers have found a trade partner and are officially moving on from Kenny Pickett.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Pickett is being traded to the Philadelphia Eagles as a part of a pick-swap deal.
Trade: Steelers are sending QB Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles in a pick swap, sources tell ESPN.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 15, 2024
Once Pittsburgh signed Russell Wilson, Pickett preferred to move on. pic.twitter.com/cvsAP2e8lB
This decision from Omar Khan and Pittsburgh's front office comes just days after the Steelers signed veteran quarterback, Russell Wilson. After signing the former nine-time Pro Bowler, Wilson was going to be the starter for the Steelers in 2024.
Still, this decision comes as a bit of a surprise. With Pickett gone, Pittsburgh is back down to having just one quarterback under contracts. All three Steelers quarterbacks from last season -- Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky, and Mason Rudolph -- have each found new teams in 2024.
As of Friday afternoon, it has not ben revealed what compensation the Steelers will receive for Pickett's services, but this trade will include a pick-swap deal between Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.
Kenny Pickett's tenure with Steelers was short-lived
Kenny Pickett was the former 20th overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2022 NFL Draft. Just months after Ben Roethlisberger officially retired, the Steelers elected to fill the void by going with Pickett.
Pickett played his college ball at Pitt, where he spent five seasons. A breakout campaign during his fifth season in 2021 led to an ACC championship ultimately boosted his draft stock and caused Pickett to be selected in the first round.
Unfortunately, Pickett's Steelers career never took off. While he helped his team to a record of 14-10 over the past two seasons, the victories were often on the backs of T.J. Watt and the defense. Pickett finishes his Steelers career with 4,474 passing yards, 13 touchdowns and 13 interceptions to go with a 78.8 passer rating.
At this point, it appears that Pickett's career path could be similar to that of his 2023 teammates, Mitch Trubisky and Mason Rudolph. He may end up sticking around the league for a while as a backup quarterback, but he is not guaranteed to get another opportunity as a full-time starter.
Regardless of his struggles, we wish him the best of luck with his new team. The Pittsburgh Steelers are moving on and new front office heads Omar Khan and Andy Weidl aren't messing around. Things are going to look really different