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Since the Kansas City Chiefs severed ties with quarterback Terrelle Pryor on Tuesday, there’s been a lot of chatter amongst fans for the Oakland Raiders to re-sign their former starter. Let me tell you – that’s not the route the Raiders need to take.
When Pryor was with the Raiders, the former Ohio State quarterback showed brief glimpses of potential. However, the negative typically outweighed the positive, as he routinely made poor decisions with the football and relied too heavily on his athleticism. The results were great when Pryor chose to tuck the ball and run, but his passing was a completely different story.
So why would the Raiders want to subject themselves to that again?
At this moment, the Raiders have a promising young quarterback in Derek Carr, who proved last year that Oakland isn’t incapable of enjoying quality play under center. Christian Ponder was signed this offseason to be the backup. He’s not exactly a reliable option, but he’s got better arm talent than Pryor. Matt McGloin is the third stringer, and I’m not entirely sure why the Raiders don’t see him as a backup option.
Oakland also added undrafted free agent Cody Fajardo, who could emerge as a sleeper with the potential to develop into a solid backup.
Where would Pryor fit into that equation? It’s simple – he wouldn’t fit anywhere.
The Pryor era was interesting while it lasted, but bringing him back wouldn’t add any value to the Raiders’ roster unless he’s willing to play a different position. As long as he’s bent on being an NFL quarterback, the windows of opportunity will continue to be few and far between.
It’s always fun to make these types of connections, but Pryor to the Raiders isn’t happening. Move on.
