In the aftermath of Aidan O’Connell’s wrist injury, the Las Vegas Raiders have decided to make a move to address the quarterback position behind starter Geno Smith.
According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the Raiders have acquired Kenny Pickett in a deal with the Cleveland Browns.
Trade: Browns are sending QB Kenny Pickett to the Las Vegas Raiders, per sources.
Raiders needed another backup for Geno Smith with QB Aidan O’Connell fracturing his wrist in the preseason finale and being expected to miss 6-8 weeks. pic.twitter.com/BdoWHD5aBF
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 26, 2025
The Raiders were put in a tight spot with the start of the regular season right around the corner on Sept. 7 on the road against the New England Patriots. Although Smith is a significant upgrade as the starter under center, the team needed some insurance behind with O’Connell on the shelf for at least the next six weeks.
Along with Pickett, who will presumably be Smith’s backup moving forward, the Raiders have rookie Cam Miller on the depth chart. Miller turned some heads during the NFL preseason and could be a viable option at the position down the road, but for the time being, he’ll have to learn behind Smith and Pickett.
Pickett hasn’t been in the league for very long and has already been traded numerous times. He began his career with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, where he was taken 20th overall out of the University of Pittsburgh.
After two seasons with the team, Pickett asked the Steelers to trade him once the team chose to sign veteran Russell Wilson. Pittsburgh then sent him to the Philadelphia Eagles, where he would play behind star Jalen Hurts and ultimately go on to win a Super Bowl.
The Eagles then traded him to the Cleveland Browns in the offseason, where a quarterback battle ensued with Joe Flacco, Daniel Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders. He’ll now get a chance at another fresh start in Las Vegas.
Raiders bring back Amari Cooper
The Raiders chose to bring back a familiar face this week, as they have reportedly agreed to sign veteran wide receiver Amari Cooper.
Cooper made a name for himself as Derek Carr’s favorite target in the passing game before landing with the Dallas Cowboys in 2018. He has bounced around the league ever since, with stints with the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills.
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