It turns out the Kenny Pickett experiment in Cleveland was always on borrowed time. With Joe Flacco’s ironman streak intact and rookie Dillon Gabriel’s fast climb up the depth chart, the Browns had little room for another question mark at quarterback. When the Silver and Black came calling, they flipped Pickett to the Raiders for a fifth-rounder in 2026—ironically, the same draft capital he had surrendered to the Eagles back in March to land him.

Meanwhile, the move revealed Kevin Stefanski’s bigger play. By stockpiling another draft pick, the Browns’ head coach is clearly keeping his eye on the QB-heavy 2026 draft class. For weeks, the Browns suggested they were ready to ride with Pickett as the guy, but those were smoke signals. Pickett’s Grade 2 hamstring pull on July 26 didn’t help his cause either. However, it wouldn’t have mattered. Flacco was never going to lose the starting gig to someone still trying to prove he belonged.

And as host Jake Vulinec bluntly revealed on 92.3 The Fan, the Browns’ messaging was smoke and mirrors. “For weeks on weeks the Browns have been trying to convince us, ‘we are going to move forward with Kenny Pickett.’ I don’t know how many people were buying it,” Vulinec said on August 25. “It never really felt like I did the only thing that was creeping in was fear that they were actually going to make the wrong decision and just keep four quarterbacks.” At the same time, Pickett’s situation wasn’t helped by how the summer played out.

He was in a four-way battle with Flacco, Gabriel, and Shedeur Sanders. The hamstring setback shoved him behind schedule, and by the time the Browns circled September 7 as their opener, Stefanski had already rolled with the veteran. Flacco got the nod, leaving Pickett buried on the chart with two rookies biting at his heels.

Finally, Pickett’s exit clears the path for Gabriel and Sanders. Sanders’ drop from a projected first-rounder to a third-day pick was one of the draft’s biggest surprises, and his flashy preseason moments only fueled attention. With Pickett gone, both rookies not only survive cutdowns but also stand to carve out legit futures behind Flacco. However, one insider feels the other way.

Insider predicts trouble for Shedeur Sanders after Kenny Pickett trade

The Dawg Pound thought the quarterback room needed no change with Joe Flacco as the Week 1 starter. The assumption was that Cleveland would carry all four passers into the season, but then the Browns flipped Kenny Pickett to the Raiders. That decision suddenly freed up more reps for Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. Yet, instead of being a straight path for the rookies, one Browns insider believes this move could actually invite another quarterback back into the building.

In fact, ESPN Cleveland’s Tony Grossi wasted no time dropping his take. “Browns trade Kenny Pickett to LV Raiders,” he wrote. “I would not be surprised if they bring back Tyler Huntley to be QB3. Which is what I proposed in my TLOD column this morning.” His suggestion wasn’t random—it connected dots back to the Browns’ earlier roster shuffle.

Previously, the Browns brought in Huntley when Pickett had a hamstring issue in camp, only to release him days ago. And now, with Pickett gone, he’s the only available option with a Pro Bowl appearance, something neither Gabriel nor Sanders can claim. That’s why Grossi’s prediction carries weight—and why it sounds like bad news for Sanders, who currently sits third on the depth chart. If Huntley lands the QB3 job, it likely puts Sanders in line for either being traded or cut.

And if you look at the stats, Gabriel’s case for the backup role has been stronger. He logged more preseason action, tallying 272 yards with a touchdown and two picks. Sanders, while flashing with 152 yards and two touchdowns on fewer snaps, hasn’t matched Gabriel’s workload. So now the question lingers—does Pickett’s trade spark a domino effect that ends with Sanders on the outs?