Pickett is part of the Browns’ training camp backdrop, but hamstring issues limited his involvement and he did not push Flacco for Week 1. His health in the early season will influence how quickly the rookie QB duo could threaten Flacco’s hold if health rebounds.

Pickett remains in the Browns’ and Steelers’ arms-length discussions as a potential Week 2 QB2, with the transcript suggesting his status as a future starter and the Browns' approach to protect their young QBs by staggering reps. Fantasy implications hinge on his health and development pace within a crowded QB room.

The week’s chatter included a note that Skyler Thompson could resemble an excited season-preview version of Kenny Pickett in preseason form. The spotlight on Pickett’s development continues to shape expectations for Week 1 and the passing-game rhythm as the offense finds its stride.

Kenny Pickett enters the quarterback-evolution talk with Dylan Gabriel and Shador Sanders noted as Browns options, framing Pickett in a broader divisional backup discussion. The dynamic underscores how quickly a backup plan can alter Week 1 expectations and draft-night values.

Pickett is held out of this final preseason game to preserve him for injury risk, while the Browns' plan emphasizes testing Gabriel as backup and balancing reps. The discussion centers on whether that absence signals a broader strategy for Pittsburgh’s roster and the QB competition, including how the team might reassess Gabriel and Shador’s development in context.