The Oakland Raiders are expected to release quarterback Terrelle Pryor today. They’ve tried to trade Pryor throughout the offseason, and their chances of getting anything good in return may have been hindered when reports surfaced that Pryor asked to be dealt. With the Raiders scheduled to start offseason workouts on Tuesday, it appears they would like to resolve the Pryor issue as soon as possible.
If/when the Raiders do cut Pryor, he should be able to find a spot on an NFL roster for the 2014 season. Pryor started the 2013 season better than anyone expected. He had worked all offseason on his throwing motion and the hard work showed on the field. But not long into the season, Pryor began to regress and as opposing teams figured out his tendencies, he started making bad decisions and worse throws and the team suffered as a result.
If Pryor were open to the idea of switching positions or being a backup quarterback, the Raiders may have kept him on for another season. He has proven himself to be a hard worker and no one can question his unique athletic ability. But since he is insistent on being a quarterback and will not have much of a shot at competing for a starting spot in Oakland, he is on his way out.
Unfortunately for Pryor, if any teams were interested in him as a potential starter, they likely would have been willing to give up a seventh round pick for him. Because of this, Pryor could find himself going the way of Tim Tebow. But Pryor has another option that may be his best opportunity if he truly wants to be a starting quarterback in the NFL.
The Canadian Football League.
Pryor showed a lot of improvement in 2013, but he he still needs a lot more time before a team would be willing to entrust him with a starting role. In the NFL, where there is intense pressure to win now, he probably won’t get much more of a chance than he has already had in Oakland. In the CFL, he could likely choose between a few different teams and have a decent shot at earning a starting job relatively soon. By going to the CFL, Pryor would get the playing time he needs to continue improving his game, something he cannot do while holding an NFL team’s clipboard on the sideline.
