When it comes to naming an NFL franchise that has recently struggled, many would probably think of the Cleveland Browns. Kevin Stefanski aims to change this narrative, as he has added Kenny Pickett to his roster, and he is very excited about what lies ahead.
The quarterback position in Cleveland has recently seen a carousel of names revolving around it, especially after the serious injury suffered by Deshaun Watson, from whom much more was expected since his arrival to the franchise.
For this season, the Browns bet on the arrival of Pickett, coming from the reigning NFL champions, the Philadelphia Eagles. The former Pittsburgh Steelers player was acquired in exchange for Dorian Thompson-Robinson, along with a fifth-round pick.
In a recent conversation with the Beacon Journal at the NFL owners meetings at The Breakers, Stefanski made it clear his satisfaction with the recent addition of Kenny Pickett, in whom he sees enormous potential ahead of next season.
“Yeah, I mean I feel good,” Stefanski said. “Obviously it’s March 31, so there’s still a draft to be had. It’s not August 1st, so I will say this: Kenny Pickett’s a guy that I believe in, that we believe in. So we’ll see how it all shakes out.”
Pickett’s potential according to Stefanski
The fact that the Browns went all the way to Philadelphia to acquire Kenny Pickett suggests that their coach sees certain qualities in him that can be unleashed in this new journey: primarily immense talent and the youth to face a long season.
“Yeah, I think he’s a very intelligent, accurate passer, but he’s somebody that, you’ve seen it from him,” Stefanski said. “He’s made plays in games, he’s won football games with great decision making. He’s a plus athlete. I’ve seen him make all the throws, so I really think he fits in whatever you’re planning on doing. But talented overall player.”
During his time with the Steelers, the QB completed 62.6% of his passes, for 4,474 yards with 13 touchdowns, 13 interceptions, and a passer rating of 78.8. Meanwhile, in the Eagles, he started one game and appeared in five total last season, completing 25 of 42 passes for 291 yards with two touchdowns and one interception overall.
Who will be the starter for the Browns next season?
With Deshaun Watson still in the process of recovering from his serious injury, Kenny Pickett recently added to the roster, and an upcoming draft that strongly suggests a QB will be selected, HC Kevin Stefanski still has no certainty about who will start as the Week 1 quarterback.
“I think it’s so dependent on the player,” Stefanski said. “Bill Musgrave on our staff, he was with Matt Ryan and he was drafted (by the Atlanta Falcons) and he started right away. We all know Green Bay famously has sat their guys for a year. (Patrick) Mahomes sat for a year. So it’s so dependent on the player and the situation, the team that you have. So those are all discussions that we would have based on where we are, but those are the type of decisions that don’t get made until the end of the summer time.”
SURVEY How will the Browns perform this season?
How will the Browns perform this season?
already voted 13 fans