Who Should I Start? Kenny Pickett or Hendon Hooker

Monday, August 25, 8:18 PM

The Las Vegas Raiders are acquiring quarterback Kenny Pickett (hamstring) from the Cleveland Browns on Monday in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2026 NFL draft, sources tell Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. Geno Smith is the Raiders' unquestioned starter heading into the 2025 regular season in two weeks, but Pickett will now give the team plenty of backup experience after Aidan O'Connell (wrist) went down with a fractured right wrist that is expected to sideline him for six to eight weeks. Pickett himself has dealt with a hamstring injury that he suffered late in July that kept him out of all three of the Browns' preseason games, but he has a chance to be available for Week 1 for the Raiders against the New England Patriots. Back in Cleveland, this trade means that one of rookie signal-callers Dillon Gabriel or Shedeur Sanders will be the QB2 behind Joe Flacco to begin the year.

Thursday, August 28, 9:49 AM

The Carolina Panthers came to an agreement with quarterback Hendon Hooker, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The former Tennessee Volunteer is set to join Carolina's practice squad after being waived by Detroit. The Lions selected Hooker in the third round in 2023, but ultimately moved on this offseason after he lost the backup QB competition against journeyman Kyle Allen. Carolina will start Bryce Young and brought back Andy Dalton, but will slot Hooker into their third QB spot heading into the season.