If Kenny Pickett, indeed, will make his starting debut for the Las Vegas Raiders, they’re opponent will likely not take him lightly.
The Philadelphia Eagles have seen him up close and now he played a positive role in their Super Bowl-winning season last year.
Raiders’ starting quarterback Geno Smith didn’t practice Wednesday because of a right shoulder injury and back injury he suffered Sunday in a home loss to the Denver Broncos. Pickett played in the fourth quarter. NFL Media reported Wednesday that
Smith is unlikely to play against the host Eagles on Sunday, putting Pickett in position to start for the Raiders. Raiders coach Pete Carroll wouldn’t go that far, saying only Smith was “day-to-day.“
Pickett, 27, is 15-10 as an NFL starter and he started one game for the Eagles in 2024. With starter Jalen Hurts out with a concussion, Pickett started in Week 17 and was part of a 41-7 home win. Pickett completed 10 of 15 passes for 143 yards and a score. He also played a lot in the week before when Hurts was injured. The Eagles lost 36-33 to Washington.
For the season, Pickett, who the Eagles traded to Cleveland in March, completed 25 of 42 passes for 291 yards with two touchdown passes and he was intercepted once.
Pickett, who traded a fifth-round pick to the Browns in August, completed eight of 11 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in garbage time against the Broncos on Sunday. Now, he is poised to get plenty of action against a team that knows him well.
