Cleveland Browns: Is it time to panic about a new deal for Terrelle Pryor?

The Cleveland Browns have not yet worked out new deal with wide receiver Terrelle Pryor. Is it time for fans to panic a little bit?

The Cleveland Browns have kept busy in the opening weeks of free agency, working out new deals with Jamie Collins, Charley Hughlett and Britton Colquitt, while also placing a second-round tender on Isaiah Crowell.

The team has also been “in discussions” with the agents for wide receiver Terrelle Pryor, who is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent if he does not agree to a new contract by the opening of free agency on March 9.

Even though things have been quiet on the talks, there was good cause for optimism that the two sides could work out a deal to keep Pryor on the squad. After all, the Browns don’t need to create another hole to fill on offense, and Pryor has publicly that he wants to remain with the Browns and head coach Hue Jackson.

But then executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown took to the podium earlier today at the NFL Scouting Combine. When asked about the ongoing situation with Pryor, Brown had the following to say, according to cleveland.com:

"“We’d like to have Terrelle back and that’s a priority for us. That said, we’re not going to panic if he’s not back, also. But he’s a good player, works hard, we think he fits in our system, had a lot of success with our coaches, so we think this is a great place for him to continue his career."

"“We’re still looking forward to working towards finding some middle ground with Terrelle to bring him back and have him as a Cleveland Brown for a long time. We want to have him here long term as opposed to kind of a one-year temporary option. I think through my conversations with him he understands. We value him a lot.”"

While it is comforting that Brown is keeping a level head about the whole situation, it is fair to wonder if it is, indeed, time for Browns fans to panic about the possibility of losing Pryor.

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There is still a little more than a week to work out a new deal, but if Pryor does indeed enter free agency then things could get a little hairy for the Browns.

The wide receiver market is not one that anyone would term as being robust this spring outside of Pryor and Alshon Jeffery of the Chicago Bears, so if Pryor is free to look at other teams it is a pretty sure bet that he will receive a contract offer.

Now the Browns have the salary cap capacity to match – and if they choose, exceed – any offer that Pryor would receive, but that is only based on if his agent comes back to the Browns with a second chance. As an unrestricted free agent, Pryor would be under no obligation to do that, however.

But if Pryor feels like the Browns disrespected him during negotiations, or took him for granted given, then it is not hard to create a scenario that sees him walking away from the only NFL team willing to give him a chance to resurrect his career.

Of course, the Browns could have avoided this by placing the franchise tag on Pryor, but opted not to do that before the 4 p.m.

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The important takeaway in all this is that Brown did say that retaining Pryor is a “priority.” If fans are going to get agita over Brown saying not to panic, they also should take solace in the fact that the Browns want Pryor back.

It would be nice, however, if the two sides can figure out a way to not let this go down to the wire.

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