Who Should I Start? Kenny Pickett or Aidan O'Connell

Wednesday, July 23, 8:18 PM

The Akron Beacon Journal's Chris Easterling reports that Cleveland Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett spent most of the day on Wednesday in the first training camp practice working with the first-team offense, at least during 11-on-11 drills. However, Pickett went second behind veteran Joe Flacco during modified 7-on-7 work. The Browns have a QB competition going this summer, which is expected to come down to Pickett and Flacco, with rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders mainly looking to prove that the Browns should keep them around beyond 2025. Pickett and Flacco will most likely rotate work with the first team in the early portions of camp. Pickett has mostly been unremarkable in offseason workouts, and Flacco is the favorite to begin the year as the starting QB in Cleveland.

Friday, April 11, 12:07 PM

The Las Vegas Raiders signed quarterback Geno Smith to a two-year, $75 million contract extension this offseason, but it's extremely team-friendly, and The Athletic's Vic Tafur thinks bringing in a young QB in this year's NFL draft to learn behind Smith makes sense. Tafur also thinks the Raiders might trade backup Aidan O'Connell on draft weekend. The Raiders have a clear out with Smith after 2026, as they guaranteed only $18.5 of his $26.5 million 2026 salary, and none of the $39.5 million he's due to make in 2027. Minority owner Tom Brady likes the idea of rookie QBs sitting and learning, and the Raiders will have some interesting options later in the draft in what is considered a down year for QBs. Tafur doesn't think it makes much sense to take Colorado's Shedeur Sanders at No. 6 overall, and a good number of QBs could be off the board by the team's second pick at No. 37 overall.