Why Eagles are trading for Steelers’ Kenny Pickett as Jalen Hurts backup
The Eagles are trading for Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett, who was a first-round pick just two years ago to serve as Jalen Hurts’ backup.
CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson was the first to report the news Friday that the trade was in the works.
ESPN reported that the Eagles are sending Pittsburgh their third-round compensatory pick (No. 98 overall) this year, and two seventh-round picks in the 2025 draft. The Eagles are getting Pickett and the Steelers’ fourth-round pick (No. 120 overall) this year.
The Steelers picked Pickett 20th overall in 2022. He was the first quarterback taken in a weak draft for quarterbacks. He became a starter early in his rookie season, but struggled with accuracy, throwing 7 interceptions in his first four games.
But Pickett settled in after that, completing 63% of his passes with seven TDs and nine INTs in 13 games. Pickett, however, didn’t improve much last season. Then he suffered a high ankle sprain late in the season. By the time he returned, Mason Rudolph had replaced him as starter.
The Steelers then signed veteran Russell Wilson last week, making Pickett expendable.
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To Pickett, that became apparent when he learned about the Wilson signing on social media, according to the NFL Network. The next day, Steelers coach Mike Tomlin told Pickett that Wilson would be in the “pole position” to be the Steelers’ starting QB and would get first-team reps.
Pickett then reportedly asked to be traded.
Pickett’s chances of starting with the Eagles are even less. Pickett will back up Hurts, and at a cheaper salary than Marcus Mariota, who was Hurts’ backup in 2023. Mariota made $5 million and threw just 23 passes in mop-up duty. Pickett, on his rookie contract, counts $2 million on the cap this year and $2.6 million in 2025.
Perhaps the idea of backing up Hurts will appeal more to Pickett with the Eagles. After all, Pickett grew up in Oakhurst, New Jersey, as an Eagles fan. He originally committed to Temple, then changed his mind and went to the University of Pittsburgh, where he spent five seasons.
In the NFL, Pickett is 14-10 as a starter, completing 62.6% of his passes for 4,474 yards. He’s thrown 13 touchdown passes and 13 interceptions. His passer rating is 78.8, which would rank among the lowest in the NFL for a full season.
The Eagles also have Tanner McKee, their sixth-round pick last spring, on the roster. McKee did not get into a game last season.
Is Haason Reddick gone?
The Eagles are reportedly restructuring the contract of edge rusher Josh Sweat, who was entering the final year of a 3-year deal worth as much as $40 million.
The Eagles had been looking into trading both Sweat and fellow edge rusher Haason Reddick, the team’s top two sack leaders from last season. It seems Reddick, who had a team-high 11 sacks last season and 16 in 2022, will be the one leaving, whether in a trade or outright release.
If the Eagles release Reddick with a post-June 1 designation, they’ll save $16 million on the salary cap. The same savings apply in a trade.
Reddick, who turns 30 in September, currently counts $21.9 million on the Eagles’ salary cap, the most of any player. The Eagles could restructure Reddick’s contract, like they did Sweat’s. But that would mean guaranteeing at least one more year.
And Reddick would likely want to be paid in the $20 million-$25 million average annual value range, like some of the NFL’s top sack leaders. The Eagles, however, just signed edge rusher Bryce Huff in free agency to a three-year deal worth as much as $51.1 million, and now Sweat, who had already been averaging $13.3 million per year.
They also brought back Brandon Graham for one more season, and they want to give Nolan Smith, their first-round draft pick (No. 30), more playing time.
Plus, the Eagles could always draft an edge rusher.
Contact Martin Frank at mfrank@delawareonline.com. Follow on X @Mfranknfl.
