Who Should I Start? Kenny Pickett or Tanner McKee

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.

Sunday, August 31, 6:27 PM

Philadelphia Eagles backup quarterback Tanner McKee (thumb) was not spotted at practice on Sunday, according to Eliot Shorr-Parks of 94WIP. McKee fractured his thumb earlier this month and has not practiced in roughly two weeks. The 25-year-old was solid while filling in last year, as he completed 30 of his 45 pass attempts for 323 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. With Thursday's regular-season opener fast approaching, it appears unlikely that McKee will be healthy enough to suit up. If he's inactive, Sam Howell would operate as the Eagles' No. 2 quarterback behind Jalen Hurts.