Hours after quarterback Russell Wilson officially signed his contract with the Steelers, the team traded 2022 first-round pick Kenny Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles, according to ESPN’s report.
The Steelers will receive a 2024 third-round pick (No. 98) and two 2025 seventh-round picks in exchange for Pickett and a 2024 fourth-round pick (No. 120), sources said.
The value is similar to what the Washington Commanders got from the Seattle Seahawks in exchange for quarterback Sam Howell, who was selected in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL draft.
With the move, Wilson is the only quarterback under contract with the Steelers. Pickett, who finished the season backing up Mason Rudolph, was expected to compete with Wilson in training camp for the starting job. But internally, Wilson was viewed more as the starting quarterback, sources told ESPN. Because of that, according to sources, Pickett preferred to get a fresh start elsewhere.
In a two-year career with the Steelers — following six seasons at Pitt — Pickett went 14-10 in 24 starts and completed 62.6% of his attempts for 4,474 yards. He also threw 13 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions.
Pickett was selected out of a subpar quarterback draft class to be the successor to Ben Roethlisberger. His tenure was highlighted by a handful of fourth-quarter comebacks and marred by inept and stagnant offenses and injuries.
After a promising end to his rookie season, which began when he unseated Mitch Trubisky at halftime of a Week 4 game against the Jets, and a sterling preseason, Pickett’s second season got off to a rocky start under offensive coordinator Matt Canada.
In the first five weeks of the 2023 season, Pickett threw five touchdown passes to four interceptions as the offense struggled to sustain drives.
Canada was fired midseason, and after suffering an ankle injury and undergoing TightRope surgery, Pickett didn’t see any action over the final five weeks of the regular season.
