Cleveland Browns: Terrelle Pryor has earned a new contract
The Cleveland Browns need to sign Terrelle Pryor to a contract extension and lock him up for the future as a key piece of this rebuilding team.
After six straight losses to open the season, it is getting increasingly hard to get excited about Cleveland Browns football each and every Sunday. And with the success currently seen by the Cleveland Indians, it only gets more difficult.
But there are some bright spots hidden among the losses, with Terrelle Pryor being the most notable of the bunch.
Pryor, the former quarterback who made the switch to wide receiver, is having a breakout season in his new position. He already has 413 receiving yards and has hauled in three touchdowns. He also has a rushing touchdown.
The stats are impressive, but just watching Pryor work on the field proves how great of an athlete he is, and how valuable he is to this team. Imagine what the final scores would be like if he was not on the roster.
With the rest of the receiving corps being Andrew Hawkins and four rookies, the Browns would be foolish to not sign Pryor to a contract extension. At 6-foot-4, he towers over opposing defenders and is able to go up and get passes so many players are not able to get. An example came at the end of Sunday’s game in Tennessee, when he hauled in a difficult pass on fourth down to keep the game alive when the Browns were down 28-13. Not getting that reception would have ended the game and ended any hope of a comeback.
And while Browns fans are enjoying watching Pryor, other teams are going to begin to take notice of how great he is doing. So every week the Browns wait to offer an extension, Pryor’s value is going to go up. If the goal is to not overpay, work must be done on a new contract soon.
The Browns are well under the cap, so even a significant offer to Pryor would not do much too hurt the team’s ability to sign other free agents. And with the focus of building through the draft, this should not be a problem.
Next: Grades from loss to the Titans
Losing Josh Gordon seemed to be a major blow to the offense, but Pryor has already proven he is the top threat in the passing game. Along with Corey Coleman, the Browns now have two great receivers to build around moving forward. And for this to remain true beyond 2016, the Browns must recognize Pryor’s ability and offer him a contract extension soon.