The Patriots attempted to trade for wide receiver Terrelle Pryor last summer, according to Doug Kyed of NESN (Twitter links). However, the Browns turned down New England’s offer, and a deal never came to fruition, per Kyed.
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Pryor was eventually released by the Browns that fall, and ended up taking a visit the Patriots, but didn’t sign. “I really thought I was going to be a Patriot,” Pryor told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “I know Bill Belichick really liked me. I had a great workout for them and everything went really well. I really thought he was going to sign me.”
After re-signing with the Cleveland at tail of end of the 2015 campaign, Pryor has grown into a force through the first three games of this season, acting been a bright spot for the winless Browns. He’s amassed 14 catches for 244 yards while occasionally factoring in as a rusher and passer. The 27-year-old is coming off a career-best showing, one in which he caught eight balls for 144 yards, ran four times for 21 yards and a touchdown, and completed 3-of-5 passes for 35 yards in a 30-24 loss to Miami.
Former Patriots executive Michael Lombardi — who also worked for the Browns at one point — discussed the failure of New England to sign Pryor on the Bill Simmons Podcast. “We blew it,” Lombardi said. “The league often gives you a chance to be great and if you don’t talk advantage of it, it’s your own fault and that was one of those times we didn’t take advantage of it in New England, clearly. It was all right there in front of us and we didn’t make the right decision at that point, but that’s life. You move on.”
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.