The Cleveland Browns have claimed Terrelle Pryor off waivers from the Cincinnati Bengals after his release from the team and now the former quarterback will try and make it as a wide receiver and he has the chance to prove himself in training camp to keep a roster spot alongside Taylor Gabriel, Marlon Moore, Travis Benjamin and Vince Mayle.
Pryor was claimed after his release by the Bengals and now he will try and make it with the Browns at the wide receiver position. According to Pro Football Talk, the Browns were the highest ranked team on the waiver list to put a claim in on Pryor and he is in the middle of making a position switch. News came out earlier in the month that Pryor would be making the change and it's not the first experience he has at the position, as he previously played some wide receiver in college at Ohio State.
Pryor has good size at 6'5 and 232 pounds and he could be a solid red zone target if he makes the team in training camp. The Browns are coming into the season with Josh Gordon suspended and they previously signed Brian Hartline and Dwayne Bowe in free agency this offseason. The team has Bowe, Hartline, Andrew Hawkins and Travis Benjamin on the roster along with Vince Mayle, Marlon Moore and Shane Wynn.
Pryor last saw NFL action in 2013 and he had his most productive season in three years with the Raiders, playing in 11 games and gaining over 2000 total yards. Pryor had 1798 passing yards with seven touchdowns and 11 interceptions and more prescient to his new position, he had a career best 576 rushing yards. Pryor and his explosiveness as a runner could be what gets him to stick around for the Browns, as they need playmakers on offense.
Hawkins, Hartline and Bowe are basically locks to make the roster and both Travis Benjamin and Taylor Gabriel likely will be in the mix as well. Mayle comes in as a rookie and Pryor could establish himself as a contributor with good practices in camp and he could also catch on as a special teams player. The Cleveland Plain Dealer reported that Mayle worked with Bowe "closely" in OTAs on his route running, as he has been out with a thumb injury.
The Browns have Josh McCown coming in as the likely starter at quarterback with Johnny Manziel second string (or Connor Shaw depending on how things go). The team will need a solid running game with Gordon out for the season and that gives Bowe and Hartline the chance to step up. The Browns drafted Duke Johnson in the third round this year and that will give the team some depth alongside Isaiah Crowell and Terrance West.
The Browns like what Johnson did in minicamp and according to Pro Football Talk, he could push West for carries behind Crowell this season. Johnson also reportedly spent some time at wide receiver for the Browns during OTA workouts and that could be another way he gets a chance to contribute. Johnson had a very good season at Miami last year and if the Browns offense can get a more consistent rushing game, it will make McCown's work in the offense that much easier. The Browns started the season with Brian Hoyer at quarterback and went 7-4, but they lost five straight to end the year.
