Newly acquired Cleveland Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett would welcome veteran Russell Wilson to Cleveland. Wilson visited with the Browns on Thursday, but left without signing a contract. Wilson visits with the New York Giants on Friday.
All Kenny Pickett cares about is getting a fair shot to compete, which is something he felt wasn't the case last year around this time when the Pittsburgh Steelers signed Russell Wilson. Of course, Pickett asked to be traded and the Steelers obliged by sending him to the Philadelphia Eagles .
"Yeah, it's fine with me as long as I have a chance to compete, that's all you can ask for," Pickett told the Cleveland media on Thursday . "So having that opportunity is awesome as a player. So I'm looking forward to working with whoever comes in the building."
After spending a season with the Eagles and being a part of Super Bowl-winning team, Pickett believes that he's ready to be a starter again.
"Yeah, I do. I do view myself as a starter. I'm sure they're going to bring in another veteran and who knows what else, but, I'm just excited to be here and compete with whoever," Pickett said. "All the quarterback rooms I've been in, each room has been really tight. We all pull for each other and, that's really what it's all about, getting better together and making the team better. Definitely prepared for whatever situation that may present itself."
Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Kenny Pickett at practice on Jan. 3, 2024. — Ed Thompson / Steelers Now
Pickett, who was the first-round draft pick of the Steelers in 2022, was the Steelers' starting quarterback 365 days ago.
None of it worked out according to plan. The Steelers saddled Pickett with a failure of an offensive coordinator in Matt Canada , and despite his status as a veteran college player with ton of starting experience, he never fit in as a leader in a veteran locker room.
"Yeah, man, it came a long way," Pickett said to Steelers Now at Super Bowl Opening Night . "You never know where the game's gonna take you. Just, I'm grateful to be here, just be where your feet are. If you put everything into the team, good things happen, so it's been a good year."
Pickett feels like he learned a lot from the tough times in Pittsburgh.
"Yeah, being able to handle adversity and finding ways to win. At the end of the day, that's what this league's about – winning," Pickett said. "Figuring out how to get the job done at the end of the day. Whatever the team may ask or whatever that day may hold for you, just find a way to walk out of there as a winner. So I think continuing to grow as a quarterback, as a player, is something I'm going to try and continue to do here in Cleveland.
The time spent in Pittsburgh is in the rear view mirror for Pickett. He's just focused on being in the present.
"Yeah, I mean, I'm not going to go too much into that," Pickett said when asked why he requested a trade from the Steelers. "I feel like that's in the past now. I'm excited to be here. Had a chance to play in Philly after leaving Pittsburgh, but I'm excited to be a Brown now."
Pickett looks forward to being back in the AFC North and competing against the Steelers, Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens .
"Yeah, it's going to be great. The AFC North, obviously, is very competitive, and, you know, playing in it for my first two years in the league, I understood that quickly," Pickett said. "The games aren't always pretty, but it's a violent style of football and I'm excited to get back into it. I just think it's a great opportunity to go compete again. That's really all you can ask for, and that's what I was told here, coming in here, having an opportunity to compete again. So I'm very excited for that."
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