The Pittsburgh Steelers are buying and selling Pickett to the Philadelphia Eagles, an individual with data of the deal instructed The Related Press on Friday. The particular person spoke to the AP on situation of anonymity as a result of the deal had not been introduced. AP photograph
PITTSBURGH — The quick and tumultuous Kenny Pickett period in Pittsburgh is over.
The Steelers are buying and selling the quarterback to the Philadelphia Eagles, a number of sources instructed The Related Press. The sources spoke on situation of anonymity as a result of the deal was not official.
Pittsburgh will obtain a third-round decide on this 12 months's NFL draft and two seventh-round picks within the 2025 draft in alternate for Pickett and Pittsburgh's fourth-round decide this 12 months.
The commerce comes simply hours after the Steelers signed nine-time Professional Bowler Russell Wilson to a one-year deal to compete with Pickett for the beginning job, although all indicators appeared to level to Wilson having the higher hand when the workforce reported for camp. at Saint Vincent Faculty in July.
Wilson declined to say he anticipated to be the starter when requested throughout Friday's introductory information convention and added that he and Pickett related shortly after Wilson agreed to the workforce, saying each they had been targeted on making the Steelers higher.
As a substitute, Wilson now finds himself the one quarterback on the roster after the membership lower Mitch Trubisky and third-stringer Mason Rudolph — who guided the Steelers to the playoffs after Pickett underwent ankle surgical procedure in early December — they signed with Tennessee.
Pickett, a 2022 first-round select of the College of Pittsburgh, went 14-10 as a starter however struggled to remain wholesome and make a distinction for an offense that languished close to the underside of the league.
Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin appeared to offer Pickett a vote of confidence after the season ended whereas permitting 2024 to be a “big” 12 months relating to Pickett's future. Basic supervisor Omar Khan doubled down on Pickett on the NFL mix final month, saying the workforce did “full religion” that Pickett might mesh with new offensive coordinator Arthur Smith.
Nevertheless, every week later the membership introduced in free agent-to-be Wilson for a go to and agreed a one-year deal late on Sunday night time.
The beautiful flip of occasions by the sometimes pragmatic Steelers ends a once-promising marriage between Pittsburgh and Pickett, a 2021 Heisman Trophy finalist as he leads Pitt to its first ACC title.
The Steelers took Pickett 20th total the next spring, and he was thrust into the beginning job at halftime of a Week four loss to the New York Jets. He didn't put up spectacular numbers, however he confirmed a knack for placing collectively late rallies, together with wins over Baltimore and Oakland late within the 2022 season, that supplied a glimpse of what Pittsburgh thought it might turn into.
It by no means occurred. The Steelers have been lazy for a lot of the 12 months and determined to fireside offensive coordinator Matt Canada proper earlier than Thanksgiving. Pickett regarded stable in a promising win over Cincinnati underneath interim offensive coordinator Eddie Faulkner and quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan. Nevertheless, Pickett sprained his ankle whereas scrimmaging the next week towards Arizona and underwent surgical procedure.
By the point the ankle healed, the Steelers had caught hearth underneath Rudolph, and Pickett spent the final two weeks as Rudolph's backup.
The highlight gained't be almost as vivid for Philadelphia's Pickett, who already has a longtime starter in Jalen Hurts. Pickett, who grew up in central New Jersey, about 80 miles from Lincoln Monetary Subject, may have a possibility to hit the reset button on a profession that has pale shortly.
The transfer additionally provides the Eagles skilled depth behind Hurts, who Philadelphia drafted in 2020 after signing Carson Wentz to a prolonged extension.