Terrelle Pryor

Terrelle Pryor To Work Out For Jets, Seahawks

1:39pm: Pryor will also work out for the Seahawks and it’s possible that he’ll audition for Seattle before the Jets, according to Rand Getlin of NFL.com (Twitter links). The Seahawks will work Pryor out as a wide receiver.

10:26am: Terrelle Pryor is expected to work out for the Jets as a wide receiver, according to sources who spoke with ESPN.com’s Dianna Marie Russini (on Twitter). The converted quarterback auditioned for the rival Patriots, but he is leaving New England without a deal.

Pryor, making the transition from quarterback to wide receiver this summer, impressed Browns coaches in training camp. However, after the team set its 53-man roster prior to Week 1, Pryor was essentially the 53rd man, making him expendable when other holes needed to be filled.

When word of the Browns waiving Pryor broke, the former Raiders quarterback said that it would be “a mistake” by the team. Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine acknowledged that possibility, but explained last week that the fact that Pryor was slowed in camp by a hamstring injury also contributed to the Browns’ decision to cut him.

“The fact is that [Pryor] wasn’t [healthy] and that he was not prepared at this point to be a viable productive member,” Pettine said, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I’m not saying that he never will be. I’m very confident that he will be knowing his work ethic. Knowing his skill set, he will be. Like I said, it’s timing and it’s circumstances.”

 

Terrelle Pryor Worked Out For Patriots

Terrelle Pryor, who was cut by the Browns before the team’s Week 1 loss to the Jets, worked out for the Patriots on Monday, according to Rand Getlin of the NFL Network, who tweets that no signing is imminent. Jason Cole of Bleacher Report first reported Pryor’s workout with the Pats (via Twitter).

Pryor, making the transition from quarterback to wide receiver this summer, impressed Browns coaches in training camp. However, after the team set its 53-man roster prior to Week 1, Pryor was essentially the 53rd man, making him expendable when other holes needed to be filled.

When word of the Browns waiving Pryor broke, the former Raiders quarterback said that it would be “a mistake” by the team. Cleveland head coach Mike Pettine acknowledged that possibility, but explained last week that the fact that Pryor was slowed in camp by a hamstring injury also contributed to the Browns’ decision to cut him.

“The fact is that [Pryor] wasn’t [healthy] and that he was not prepared at this point to be a viable productive member,” Pettine said, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I’m not saying that he never will be. I’m very confident that he will be knowing his work ethic. Knowing his skill set, he will be. Like I said, it’s timing and it’s circumstances.”

It sounds like New England may not be the only stop this week for Pryor — a report over the weekend indicated that the ex-Brown would be auditioning for two teams in the coming days.

AFC Notes: Folk, Gilbert, Pryor, Ravens

The Jets entered the day with the second-least amount of cap space in the league, but an adjustment to their kicker’s salary will give them some breathing room.

Nick Folk agreed to convert $1.78MM of his $2.5MM base salary into a signing bonus, freeing up more than $1.18MM in cap space, Field Yates of ESPN.com reports (on Twitter). This leaves the Jets with just more than $2.17MM worth of space heading into the season; they previously had just $985K, which was ahead of only the Saints’ $465K +, according to OverTheCap.

Folk enters the season with a $1.46MM cap number.

Here is some news from around the AFC, with Week 1 approaching for 30 teams.

  • Justin Gilbert‘s road-rage incident won’t affect his status for Sunday, but the strained hip flexor the second-year Browns cornerback suffered Aug. 18 might, notes Mary Kay Kabot of Cleveland.com.
  • Recently cut from the Browns after initially making the roster out of the preseason, Terrelle Pryor will work out for two teams this week, according to Michael David Smith of Pro Football Talk. The former Ohio State and Raiders quarterback will do so as a receiver for both teams, who were not named in the report.
  • Ravens rookie defensive tackle Carl Davis will replace Timmy Jernigan in the starting lineup against the Broncos due to Jernigan’s doubtful status due to a right knee injury, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports. Hensley rates Davis, a third-round pick, as the team’s most impressive rookie thus far.
  • Baltimore has also ruled out Breshad Perriman and Lorenzo Taliaferro, per Hensley.

AFC Notes: Von, Texans, Browns, Pats

Broncos linebacker Von Miller is a rarity – a star from the 2011 draft class who hasn’t yet signed a mega-extension, writes Mike Klis of 9News.

Miller, who went second overall, has piled up 49 sacks in 56 regular-season games, three Pro Bowl bids and a pair of All-Pro selections. While he’s had to watch as fellow draft class members Cam Newton, Marcell Dareus, A.J. Green and J.J. Watt have signed huge deals, Miller isn’t concerned.

“I’d like to think that the way I handle stuff, I handle stuff a whole lot different than a normal guy would. I’m good,” he said.

The Broncos are currently maxed out on their 2015 payroll and won’t be able to extend Miller until next offseason, according to Klis, so Miller will have to wait a little longer for his colossal payday. In the meantime, Miller’s in a contract year and will look to build on last season’s 14-sack output.

Here’s more from the AFC:

  • The Texans won’t be particularly adventurous with their two-point conversion usage this year, head coach Bill O’Brien told Jeff Adams of the Houston Chronicle. “As far as going for two, we probably don’t think much about it much until the fourth quarter unless it’s something that an oddity comes up during the game and we feel like we have to do that.”
  • Browns head coach Mike Pettine is confident that recently released Terrelle Pryor will turn into a quality NFL receiver, but the timing wasn’t right in Cleveland. “The fact is that [Pryor] wasn’t [healthy] and that he was not prepared at this point to be a viable productive member,” Pettine said, according to Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal. “I’m not saying that he never will be. I’m very confident that he will be knowing his work ethic. Knowing his skill set, he will be. Like I said, it’s timing and it’s circumstances.”
  • The Patriots worked out a linebacker, Darius Eubanks, and two defensive backs, Tay Glover-Wright and Joel Ross, on Friday (Twitter link via Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com).

AFC Notes: Steelers, Browns, Castonzo

After all the talk about DeflateGate that dominated the NFL news wire for the majority of the 2015 calendar year, last night’s season opener was supposed to return the conversation to what happened on the field. However, two off-field incidents stole headlines from Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski, and Adam Schefter of ESPN.com has updates on both stories.

According to Schefter, Steelers tight end coach James Daniel is being investigated by the Steelers and the NFL for allegedly assaulting and verbally accosting a Patriots fan on the way to the locker room before halftime. According to witnesses, Daniel kicked the Pats fan in the back of his leg and yelled at the fan. Depending on what the investigations by the team and the league turn up, Daniel could be facing a suspension and/or fine.

Meanwhile, after head coach Mike Tomlin complained about issues with the Gilette Stadium headsets, the Steelers opted not to file a formal complaint with the NFL. However, according to Steelers spokesman Burt Lauten, via Schefter, the team provided league reps with information regarding those communications issues.

Here’s more from around the AFC:

  • Asked today about the Browns‘ decision to cut Terrelle Pryor, head coach Mike Pettine said the team initially held onto the former Raiders quarterback because of his potential as a receiver. However, he was occupying the 53rd roster spot, and the club likes running back Robert Turbin too much to have passed up on him (Twitter link via Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal).
  • Several players around the league are putting the finishes touches on contract extensions as the regular season approaches. However, it doesn’t appear that Browns safety Tashaun Gipson or Dolphins defensive end Olivier Vernon will sign new deals with their respective teams anytime soon, per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com and Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald (Twitter links).
  • Rand Getlin of Yahoo! Sports provides some additional details on Anthony Castonzo‘s new extension with the Colts, tweeting that the left tackle received a $14MM signing bonus.
  • Free agent wide receiver DaVaris Daniels is working out for the Jaguars today, a source tells Aaron Wilson of the National Football Post (Twitter link). Daniels was claimed off waivers by the Patriots after being dropped by the Vikings, but didn’t survive New England’s cutdown to 53 players.

Browns Cut Terrelle Pryor, Add Robert Turbin

3:42pm: Pryor tells Cabot (Twitter link) that the Browns cut him to clear a spot on the roster to claim running back Robert Turbin off waivers from the Seahawks. It makes sense that Cleveland would want another running back on the roster, with just two backs currently active and one of them – Duke Johnson – recovering from a concussion. However, Turbin has an injury of his own — his ankle is expected to sideline him for a few more weeks.

3:34pm: Terrelle Pryor, playing a new position, appeared over the weekend to have earned a spot on the Browns’ Week 1 roster, but it sounds like he won’t be on the team for its regular season opener after all. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk (via Twitter), the Browns are waiving Pryor, who converted to wide receiver this summer.

According to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com (Twitter link), Pryor himself confirmed his release. “This will be a mistake by them,” he said.

The move comes as a bit of a surprise, since Pryor reportedly impressed Cleveland’s coaching staff over the summer as he transitioned into a new role. Although he was limited by a hamstring issue and head coach Mike Pettine said it would require a “leap of faith” to carry him on the roster, Pryor looked like a back-of-the-roster player with some upside, one who could perhaps be involved in some gadget plays and act as the team’s emergency quarterback if necessary.

The last time Pryor was cut, back in June by the Bengals, the Browns snatched him off waivers, and the Cowboys and Patriots also submitted claims, per Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link). Of course, at that time, teams were carrying 90 players on their rosters, so it’ll be interesting to see if the former Raiders signal-caller makes it through waivers unclaimed this time around.

Browns Keep West, Pryor On 53-Man Roster

The Browns have announced their roster moves for the day, and two offensive players who were viewed as potential release – or trade – candidates have made the cut — running back Terrance West and quarterback-turned-wide-receiver Terrelle Pryor are still members of the Browns.

Cleveland has also confirmed that quarterbacks Thad Lewis and Pat Devlin have been cut, meaning Johnny Manziel looks poised to enter the year healthy enough to be Josh McCown‘s backup.

Here’s the Browns’ full list of moves, via a team release:

Waived:

  • OL Karim Barton
  • RB Shaun Draughn
  • DB Landon Feichter
  • RB Tim Flanders
  • DB Kendall James
  • WR Darius Jennings
  • OL Erle Ladson
  • WR Josh Lenz
  • WR Vince Mayle
  • DL Jacobbi McDaniel
  • OL Andrew McDonald
  • OL Darrian Miller
  • DB Robert Nelson
  • OL Vinston Painter
  • LB Hayes Pullard III
  • DB Joe Rankin
  • LB Mike Reilly
  • DB De’Ante Saunders
  • DL Dylan Wynn

Released:

  • OL Eric Olsen

Browns Release Thad Lewis, Pat Devlin

The Browns have released quarterbacks Thaddeus Lewis (via WFNY’s Scott Sargent on Twitter) and Pat Devlin (via ESPNCleveland.com’s Tony Grossi on Twitter). The move leaves the team with only two quarterbacks on their roster, which indicates that Johnny Manziel should be healthy enough to back up starter Josh McCown. Former quarterback Terrelle Pryor, who is trying to make the team as a receiver, could also be considered an emergency, third-string play-caller.

Lewis signed with the Browns in March, inking a one-year contract. The 27-year-old didn’t make an appearance with the Texans in 2014, but he did start five games for the Bills in 2013.

Devlin joined the team in August after having spent three seasons with the Dolphins. Grossi notes that Devlin could return to the organization via the practice squad.

Both moves will save the Browns $585K.

Extra Points: Browns, Seahawks, Eagles, Bucs

Some assorted notes from around the NFL…

  • The Browns are focused on adding a veteran running back via trade, waiver claim, or signing, reports Zac Jackson of ProFootballTalk.com. Besides the uncertainty surrounding the team’s current depth at the position, the team’s veterans have also told the coaching staff that an older player could be a good influence on the group.
  • Browns coach Mike Pettine told Jeff Schudel of The Morning Journal that it would require a “leap of faith” for former quarterback Terrelle Pryor to stick around. Pryor, who is attempting to make the squad as a wideout, has battled hamstring tightness through most of the preseason. “It’s a project to take a guy who’s played quarterback for the vast majority of his football career (and try to change his position),” Pettine said. “Even if he had stayed completely healthy, I don’t know if we would have all the results in, if we would feel 100 percent comfortable even if he had gone the whole time and not gotten injured. So certainly it would be a leap of faith.”
  • The Seahawks are exploring trades for veteran safeties, reports Conor Orr of NFL.com. Kam Chancellor is currently holding out for a new contract, and Earl Thomas is just returning from injury, so the club could use some depth at the position.
  • Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com says he’d be “really surprised” if the Eagles were finished making moves (Twitter link). He passes along that they’re “open for business” when it comes to discussing trades at “numerous” positions.
  • Buccaneers defensive end Larry English suffered a “significant” knee injury during the team’s preseason finale, and Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times says the team will be eyeing the waiver wire for defensive line reinforcement. Jacquies Smith and T.J. Fatinikun are also currently struggling with injuries.

AFC Notes: Raiders, Pryor, Jets, Texans, Jags

The Raiders brought in running backs Trent Richardson and Roy Helu Jr. to backup Latavius Murray, but Josh Dubow of the Associated Press says it’s been undrafted free agent Michael Dyer who’s been making the biggest case to be the No. 2 back. The Auburn/Louisville product gained 45 yards on 12 carries in last week’s preseason game.

“I feel like I got my confidence up because I was able to get into a rhythm and up to game speed,” Dyer said. “Going from the first game to second game you try to build confidence and get the offense down. By the third game you should be able to have control of the game and play hard and fast.”

Meanwhile, despite the fact that he’s a former first-round pick, Richardson is no guarantee to make the team.

“He’s got to earn it,” coach Jack Del Rio said. “He’s got to be good enough as a backup. We’ve got to see some of the explosiveness that he had when he was a young man playing for the Crimson Tide there. He’s got to have a role on special teams and he’s got to be able to help us win on Sundays. That’s the challenge for him right now.”

Let’s check out some more notes from the AFC…

  • Terrelle Pryor‘s quest to switch from quarterback to wideout hasn’t necessarily gone as planned, as the former Ohio State standout has remained sidelined with a sore hamstring. However, Browns coach Mike Pettine told Tony Grossi of ESPNCleveland.com that the injury doesn’t doom Pryor’s chance to make the team. “We know he’s a project. We understand that,” Pettine said. “We’re not expecting him to go out there and light it up and catch 10 balls for 150 yards and two touchdowns. Just continue to get better.”
  • Todd Bowles may have some tough decisions to make as he looks to trim his roster, but the Jets coach is confident in what he has. “I have a pretty good idea of what we have with the exception of about three or four guys,” Bowles told Brian Costello of the New York Post. “I have a good idea about everybody else. I understand what we can be, and I know what kind of work we have ahead of us, but I have a good idea of what we have.”
  • Bill O’Brien needs to cut the Texans roster from 90 players to 53 players in the next ten days, and the head coach is lamenting the inevitably tough decisions. “It’s a very difficult thing,” he told Aaron Wilson of the Houston Chronicle. “As a head coach, it’s one of the hardest parts of your job because you’ve got guys here that have really, really worked extremely hard…You want a competitive roster. You want to have tough decisions, but it’s still not an easy thing to do with guys you really care about, you really enjoy being around.”
  • Offensive lineman Derek Newton‘s five-year, $26M contract signed with the Texans this past offseason may prove to be a bargain, writes Wilson. “Well, we got him back here for a reason,” said offensive coordinator George Godsey. “He’s been playing some tackle for us. We’ve put him in there at guard with some of the things that we’ve had situationally. We put him over at left tackle and haven’t heard one gripe from him.”
  • The Jaguars may not have either Andre Branch or Sen’Derrick Marks for their preseason opener, report Mike DiRocco of ESPN.com and Ryan O’Halloran of the Florida Times-Union, respectively. Branch suffered a sprained MCL and will be out a “significant” amount of time, per Gus Bradley. The pass-rusher is entering his contract year and already saw a groin injury nullify much of his third campaign. The Jags’ sack leader with 8.5 last year, Marks is still recovering from the torn ACL he sustained in Week 17 of last season. Bradley described his top defensive tackle’s quest to suit up for Week 1 as an uphill battle.

Sam Robinson contributed to this report