Kenny Pickett earned his Eagles Super Bowl ring with a victory formation kneel down in the big win over the Chiefs.
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is an analyst the Cleveland Browns for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland. He has covered the Browns since 1984.
(Ed. note: This is an updated version of a story posted earlier.)
Takeaways from Day 1 of free agency …
The Browns blasted out of the free agency starting blocks by trading for a former first-round quarterback with a Super Bowl ring.
No, not Joe Flacco.
It’s – cover your eyes, Myles Garrett – Kenny Pickett.
Yup, the No. 1 pick of the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, whom the Steelers swapped to the Philadelphia Eagles last year, joins the Browns’ building-in-progress quarterback room.
In exchange, Andrew Berry gave up Dorian Thompson-Robinson – the only quarterback he has drafted in five seasons as Browns GM – and the fifth-round pick obtained from Detroit in the Za’Darius Smith trade last year, No. 165 overall.
Ironically, DTR's only win in five career emergency starts for the Browns came in 2023 against Pickett's Steelers. It was Pickett's only loss in three career starts against the Browns.
Pickett was the 21st overall pick of the 2022 draft. He was 14-10 in 24 starts for the Steelers. Pickett requested a trade from the Steelers when they acquired Russell Wilson in 2024 and he was granted his wish last March. The Eagles gave up a third-round pick and two in the seventh round for Pickett and a fourth.
As the top backup behind Jalen Hurts with the Eagles last year, Pickett made one start in Game 16, a 41-7 romp over Dallas. Overall, Pickett appeared in five games, completing 25 of 42 passes for 291 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and a passer rating of 86.5.
Pickett made a cameo in the Eagles’ blowout wins in the NFC Championship Game and Super Bowl. He finished the Eagles’ Super Bowl victory over Kansas City with a handoff, an incompletion and the final kneel-down in victory formation.
Pickett will compete for a to-be-determined role for the Browns.
That role depends on whether the Browns can secure a better option in free agency and what they do in the draft.
What made Pickett attractive to the Browns, presumably, was his age (26), pedigree as a former No. 1 pick, and his salary. In the fourth season of his rookie contract, Pickett has a scheduled base salary of $2.623 million.
Besides his Super Bowl ring, Pickett has a less-glorious accomplishment in the NFL. The Browns will be his third team while still on a rookie contract.
What else is up at quarterback?
The Browns may be waiting on Kirk Cousins to be released by Atlanta. No team will trade for Cousins’ $27.5 million guaranteed salary + $40 million cap number. He has a $10 million roster bonus due on Sunday. The Falcons insist they’d keep him as Michael Penix’s backup rather than release him. We shall see.
If the Falcons keep Cousins, the Browns may have to turn to an alternative such as Daniel Jones or Flacco or Carson Wentz as a presumed bridge QB. Russell Wilson also is looking for a team.
They have shown little interest in Flacco, per a league source.
Other quarterbacks who changed teams on Monday:
Justin Fields signed with the Jets.
Sam Darnold signed with the Seahawks.
Josh Dobbs signed with the Patriots.
Zach Wilson signed with the Dolphins.
Jimmy Garoppolo re-signed with the Rams.
New England's surprise acquisition of Dobbs may set up a trade by the Patriots of strong-armed Joe Milton, who won his only start as a rookie last year in the team's final game with franchise QB Drake Maye kept out.
Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports, reported the Patriots "have had discussions" on trading Milton to acquire draft assets. Milton, who finished his college career at Tennessee, made a 30 visit to the Browns last year. He was selected by the Patriots in the sixth round.
More cap slashing
Part of the problem for the Browns is they have little cap space to spend freely in free agency.
If released, Cousins would be available for the $1.255 million NFL minimum salary (and cap number). Jones, Wilson and even Flacco might command too much on the open market to involve the Browns.
The four-year, $160 million contract extension given Myles Garrett on Sunday will actually reduce the Browns’ salary cap space. (Details on how much are still not in.)
Berry did create some room on Monday by informing defensive tackle Dalvin Tomlinson of his release. By designating Tomlinson a post-June 1 release, the move will create $6.4 million in cap room after June 1. Until then, however, the Browns must carry Tomlinson’s scheduled cap number of $11.453 million.
Berry signed Tomlinson for $27.5 million guaranteed ($57 million overall) in 2023.
In two years with the Browns, the affable Tomlinson appeared in 32 games and had six sacks, 10 tackles-for-loss, and 30 quarterback hits.
One swing tackle for another
Late in the evening, the Browns agreed to terms with offensive tackle Cornelius Lucas.
Lucas, 33, played with five NFL teams in 11 years, lastly with the Washington Commanders. He has 54 career starts at both left and right tackle.
Lucas would take the place of James Hudson as a needed swing tackle on the Browns' roster.
Hudson, another Berry draft pick, found a new home with the New York Giants. He agreed to a two-year contract reportedly for $12 million.
Hudson (2021, fourth round) was a yearly project for former offensive line guru Bill Callahan. In four years with the Browns, Hudson appeared in 49 games and made 17 starts. Hudson had season-ending shoulder surgery on October 11.