Terrelle Pryor - Pro Football Rumors

Terrelle Pryor: Vaccine Decision Holding Up Tryout

July 26th, 2021 at 9:03pm CST by Sam Robinson

Terrelle Pryor has not played since the 2018 season, and the quarterback-turned-wideout only suited up for eight contests that year. But the former 1,000-yard receiver said a team has offered a workout. This will come to pass only if he has received the COVID-19 vaccine, which Pryor indicated he has not done as of this past weekend (via Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio).

The NFLPA bargained for player vaccines being optional, though it is mandatory for staffers in order to work with players directly. And teams are not permitted to cut players because of vaccine decisions. But free agents will have less flexibility under the 2021 protocols.

Teams can ask free agents if they are vaccinated, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). A player refusing to answer this question will be treated as unvaccinated. This practice is ongoing, Sports Talk 790’s Aaron Wilson tweets, noting several free agents have been asked about their vaccination status thus far.

Given the protocol disparity between vaccinated an unvaccinated players, it certainly makes sense for teams to inquire before committing to a free agent. Free agents who have not received the coronavirus vaccine must go through the five-day testing period that newcomers navigated in 2020. Players who have received the vaccine are also exempt from being classified as a high-risk close contact, a designation that cost numerous players practice and game time last season. It will also be up to teams to classify their respective rosters’ vaccinated and unvaccinated players, Florio adds.

Free agents at this point of the year generally do not qualify as essential pieces, and a team would be taking a risk were it to sign an unvaccinated role player. Pryor is now 32 and, after his 1,007-yard season for the 2016 Browns, totaled just 492 between the 2017 and ’18 campaigns. Pryor was stabbed in 2019, and his 2020 comeback attempt did not end up taking shape. A potential last chance at an NFL gig may hinge on his vaccine decision.

This Date In Transactions History: Raiders Trade Terrelle Pryor

April 21st, 2021 at 8:16pm CST by Ben Levine

When Terrelle Pryor was traded from the Raiders seven years ago today, many questioned whether he’d be able to stick around the NFL as a quarterback. Little did we know that the player would eventually transform into a 1,000-yard receiver.

Before we discuss that trade, let’s go back a bit. Following an autograph scandal and subsequent withdrawal from Ohio State, the former Big Ten star had to settle for the 2011 Supplemental Draft. The Raiders gave up a third-round to acquire the quarterback, and he later inked a four-year deal with the organization. Prior barely saw the field as a rookie, but he showed flashes during the 2012 season, tossing two scores and running for another on the ground.

He finally got a shot to start in 2013 following the Carson Palmer trade, and results were mixed. The Raiders went 3-6 in Pryor’s nine starts, with the quarterback completing only 57.4-percent of his passes for 1,798 yards, seven touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. However, he continued to show his talents on the ground, running for two more scores. During the 2014 offseason, Pryor found himself buried on the depth chart following the team’s signing of Matt Schaub. So, on April 21, 2014, the Raiders cleared a roster spot and saved a chunk of money by trading Pryor to Seattle for a seventh-round pick.

Pryor didn’t even make it to the regular season with the Seahawks, and he proceeded to bounce around the NFL a bit over the next few years, spending time with the Chiefs and Bengals. He spent time on the Browns roster during the 2015 campaign, and he got some recognition when he hauled in a 44-yard catch during the final game of the season.

He stuck around Cleveland for the 2016 season and proceeded to have a breakout campaign. Pryor played everywhere for the Browns: quarterback, wideout, safety. He was most productive at receiver, finishing the year with 1,028 yards from scrimmage and five scores (he also completed five of his nine passes). That performance earned him a one-year, $8MM deal from Washington, but he was unable to replicate his production from 2016, finishing the 2017 season with only 240 yards from scrimmage in nine games. Pryor had stints with the Jets, Dolphins, and Jaguars between the 2018 and 2019 seasons, and he hasn’t been on an NFL roster since the end of the 2019 preseason.

While Pryor’s peak was brief, it was memorable. Pryor’s transformation from struggling quarterback to 1,000-yard wideout was one of the better comeback stories in recent NFL history, and that transformation was unexpected when Pryor was traded on this date in 2014.

Terrelle Pryor Attempting Comeback

July 12th, 2020 at 10:58am CST by Rory Parks

Things have not gone well for Terrelle Pryor lately. Following a terrific 2016 campaign with the Browns — his first full season as a wide receiver after converting from the quarterback position — Pryor badly misjudged the free agent market for his services. He was hoping for a long-term deal worth about $15MM per season, but when that didn’t materialize, he eschewed the multi-year offers he did have to take a one-year, $8MM contract with the Redskins.

He hoped that, if he built on his breakout effort in Cleveland and proved that it wasn’t a fluke, he would land a $15MM/year deal the following offseason. But his one year in Washington didn’t go as planned, as he played in just nine games (two starts) and caught 20 passes for 240 yards and a TD. He was hampered by an ankle injury for most of the season and ultimately landed on IR.

So instead of getting the massive payday he was seeking in the 2018 offseason, he settled for a one-year, $4.5MM pact with the Jets. He lasted just six games with Gang Green, catching 14 passes for 235 yards and two TDs. A groin injury slowed him a bit, and he was released in October 2018. The division-rival Bills scooped him up shortly thereafter, but he played just two games for Buffalo before being cut again.

Pryor signed with the Jaguars in May 2019, but he never played a regular season game for them. He was put on IR during final cutdowns and released several days later.

In November, Pryor was stabbed in the shoulder and chest by a woman in an incident that saw both parties criminally charged. Pryor, though, tells TMZ Sports that he is fully healthy and is ready for a chance to resume his NFL career.

He says he has been in contact with five teams, including the Patriots, about a potential contract. We don’t know who the other four teams are, but Pryor indicated he would also like to play for his hometown Steelers.

New England, though, seems like a better fit. Pryor’s abilities as a deep threat — assuming he still has them — would complement the rest of the Pats’ pass catchers nicely, and on paper it looks like New England needs more receiving help than Pittsburgh.

Regardless, it will take only a minimum commitment for any team to bring Pryor into the fold. Given his recent history, though, the 31-year-old may need to wait until COVID-19 restrictions have been lifted so he can prove to interested clubs that he’s ready to go.

Terrelle Pryor Charged With Simple Assault

November 30th, 2019 at 3:59pm CST by Sam Robinson

Terrelle Pryor has improved from critical to stable condition, but more details have emerged on the incident that led to his hospitalization.

The free agent wide receiver was arrested and charged with simple assault, according to WPXI. A 24-year-old woman, Shalaya Briston, was charged with criminal attempt homicide and aggravated assault, according to the Pittsburgh TV station.

Pryor, 30, was stabbed in the shoulder and chest and underwent surgery Saturday morning. The incident took place at the Heinz Lofts apartment complex in Pittsburgh, and police were seen in the area. The former Ohio State star quarterback suffered artery damage and will be in the hospital until at least Sunday morning, Josina Anderson of ESPN.com tweets.

Pryor grew up in Jeannette, Pa., and starred in both football and basketball at Jeannette High School.

Terrelle Pryor In Stable Condition After Stabbing

November 30th, 2019 at 1:11pm CST by Ben Levine

1:11pm: Pryor’s condition has been upgraded from critical to stable, according to Rapoport (on Twitter).

9:27am: Free agent wideout Terrelle Pryor is in critical condition after being stabbed last night in Pittsburgh, according to a report from Action 4 News (and passed along by NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport on Twitter). ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports (via Twitter) that Pryor was stabbed in the shoulder and chest, and he underwent surgery this morning. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets that Pryor’s family expect him to survive the stabbing.

According to the initial report, a woman “is in custody at Pittsburgh Police headquarters in connection with the stabbing.” The incident took place at the Heinz Lofts apartment complex in Pittsburgh, and police were seen in the area on Saturday morning.

Pryor grew up in Jeannette, Pa., and he starred in both football and basketball at Jeannette High School. He twice earned Pennsylvania Player of the Year for football, and he was named a fourth-team Parade All-American for basketball in 2008. Pryor was initially expected to play basketball under Jamie Dixon at the University of Pittsburgh, but he later committed to playing football for Ohio State.

Pryor won a number of accolades as Ohio State’s quarterback, but he later withdrew from the university following an autographing scandal. This led to him entering the NFL’s Supplemental Draft, where he was selected by the Raiders in the third round. While Pryor showed special talent in the open field, he struggled as a passer, and his stint with Oakland ended with a trade to the Seahawks in 2014.

Pryor bounced around the NFL a bit before the Browns gave him a chance as a wideout in 2014. He proceeded to haul in 77 receptions for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns that season, earning him a one-year, $8MM deal with the Redskins. Pryor hasn’t been able to replicate those numbers since that time, and he was released by the Jaguars injured reserve back in September. The 30-year-old hasn’t had any reported workouts this season.

Jaguars Drop Terrelle Pryor

September 3rd, 2019 at 10:33am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars and wide receiver Terrelle Pryor have reached an injury settlement for his minor hamstring ailment, a source tells Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (on Twitter). Rapoport hears that Pryor, who is clear to sign with any club as a free agent, is now healthy.

It’s a familiar spot for Pryor, who has bounced around a bit since his breakout season with the Browns. In the last few years, he’s had stints with the Redskins, Jets, and Bills that have ended in similar fashion. Pryor signs, gets hurt, then gets released with an aim on staying healthy and rekindling his former magic elsewhere.

Speaking of the Jaguars – they were one of four teams to place a claim on running back Wendell Smallwood. Ultimately, Smallwood was snagged by the Redskins.

Jaguars Reach 53-Man Limit

August 31st, 2019 at 3:05pm CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars got down to 53. Here’s how:

Waived or released:

OL Ka’John Armstrong
WR Tyre Brady
TE Donnie Ernsberger
CB Tae Hayes
WR Quadree Henderson
RB Elijah Hood
DL Mike Hughes
DL Lyndon Johnson
TE Charles Jones
WR Raphael Leonard
WR Tre McBride
QB Alex McGough
CB Quenton Meeks
TE Carson Meier
S Joshua Moon
CB Picasso Nelson
S C.J. Reavis
CB Saivion Smith
OL Bunchy Stallings
LB Connor Strachan
DL Kalani Vakameilalo
WR Michael Walker
CB Brandon Watson
DL Andrew Williams
TE Ethan Wolf

Waived/injured:

OL Donnell Greene
RB Devante Mays
OL KC McDermott
OL Leonard Wester

Placed on IR:

OL Ben Ijalana
WR Terrelle Pryor

NFI:
LB Jake Ryan

Jaguars Release WR Terrelle Pryor

August 30th, 2019 at 8:59am CST by Zachary Links

The Jaguars are making some early moves towards making the 53-man max. On Friday morning, Jacksonville cut wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, defensive tackle Datone Jones, and former Alabama cornerback Saivion Smith, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter).

Pryor parlayed his huge season with the Browns a couple of years back into a one-year, $6MM free agent deal with the Redskins. Unfortunately, he was held back by an ankle injury and did little in D.C. He tried to regain his footing with the Jets and Bills last year, but injuries got the best of him once again. Then, he signed a veteran’s minimum contract with the Jaguars, but the former quarterback was unable to stay healthy and/or prove himself in practice.

Jones, 28, was selected by the Packers with the 26th overall pick of the 2013 draft, but he’s never been able to put it all together at the NFL level. In four seasons with Green Bay, Jones appeared in 60 games, but made only seven starts and never topped 600 snaps in any individual campaign. He joined the Jags in June and he finds himself seeking a new gig in late August.

This Date In Transactions History: Bengals Cut Terrelle Pryor

June 18th, 2019 at 9:22am CST by Zachary Links

On this date in 2015, the Bengals released quarterback Terrelle Pryor. After four unremarkable years in the NFL, the move didn’t mean much at the time. However, the release changed the trajectory of the former Ohio State star’s career.

The late Al Davis brought Pryor into the league after selecting him in the third round of the 2011 supplemental draft. Pryor didn’t play much in his first two seasons and struggled on the whole in 2013, although there were some impressive moments. Pryor was traded to the Seahawks in 2014, but was cut prior to Week 1 and wound up sitting out of football altogether that year. In January of 2015, the Chiefs signed Pryor, but released him in May. The Bengals scooped him up, but cut him from the roster five weeks later on June 18, 2015.

Clearly, Pryor’s athleticism could not carry him at the quarterback position in the NFL, but he was reluctant to give up on his lifelong dream. Prior to signing with the Bengals, Pryor declared, “If I can’t play quarterback, I can’t play football.” But, after his release from the Bengals, agent Drew Rosenhaus informed teams that Pryor was willing to line up as a wide receiver.

Ohio’s other team – the Browns – moved quickly to claim Pryor off of waivers. Pryor didn’t see much time on the field in that season, but things changed when the Browns shifted him to wide receiver prior to the 2016 offseason. The Browns were optimistic about what the 6’4″, 228-pound athlete could do at his new position, but few expected him to finish the season with 77 catches for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns.

Pryor parlayed his huge season into a one-year, $6MM free agent deal with the Redskins, but he was held back by an ankle injury and did little in D.C. He tried to regain his footing with the Jets last year, but injuries got the best of him once again. After his midseason release, his deal with the Bills amounted to nothing more than a cup of coffee.

Pryor resurfaced again in May when he signed a veteran’s minimum contract with the Jaguars. The former quarterback could have an opportunity to stand out in Jacksonville’s lackluster WR group, if he’s healthy.

Details On Terrelle Pryor’s Jaguars Deal

June 6th, 2019 at 3:53pm CST by Zachary Links

Last week, the Jaguars inked wide receiver Terrelle Pryor shortly after he auditioned on the practice field. We now have the details on the deal, courtesy of ESPN.com’s Michael DiRocco (Twitter link): it’s a one-year, $930K veteran’s minimum contract.

With the veteran’s minimum deal, Pryor will count for just $645K against the salary cap. Per the collective bargaining agreement, players with four or more years of experience can sign a one-year deal for the veteran’s minimum salary while the team will only carry a three-year pro’s minimum salary on the books.

There’s little risk in the deal for the Jaguars as they have added a one-time 1,000-yard receiver for next to nothing. And, if Pryor can’t prove that he is healthy in camp, they can walk away with no fiscal penalty.

It’s probably not the deal Pryor envisioned for himself, but the former Browns standout has earned more than $14MM over the course of his career, thanks in large part to recent pacts with the Redskins and Jets.