T. Pryor on Late Hits @SiriusXMNFL @ 7 PM PDT + GUTIERREZ Projecting Raiders starters

[Artois]

https://twitter.com/#!/RAIDERS

@TerrellePryor will be on Late Hits on @SiriusXMNFL with @alexmarvez and Bill Polian tonight at 10 pm ET or 7:00:00 PM PDT


Projecting Raiders starters after two OTAs

Projecting Raiders starters after two OTAs
PAUL GUTIERREZ
May 29, 2012

Under new head coach Dennis Allen, the Raiders have had a voluntary veteran mini-camp, a rookie mini-camp and two weeks of voluntary OTAs (they are off this week but return for a third week of OTAs next week).

So with all of that as a backdrop, why not take a look at what the Raiders' starting lineup might be if the season started today? A few names might jump out at you as being, to quote general manager Reggie McKenzie, "out of whack," but keep in mind this is all based on attendance and players' current health. Yes, it truly is "if the season started today."

So yeah, what better time to take a look into that certain silver and black crystal ball…

OFFENSE
QB -- Carson Palmer (there's no question this is his team now)
RB -- Darren McFadden (as always, looks phenomenal in May)
FB -- Owen Schmitt (has only has one week of OTAs under his belt, but it's one more than Marcel Reece)
WR -- Darrius Heyward-Bey (arrest for DUI puts the pressure on DHB to perform ASAP)
WR -- Denarius Moore (solidly spectacular, or spectacularly solid?)
Slot -- Jacoby Ford (seems healed but could be pushed by rookie Juron Criner)
TE -- David Ausberry (added bulk without sacrificing touch)
LT -- Jared Veldheer (will the ZBS agree with him protecting Palmer's blind side?)
LG -- Cooper Carlisle (going to be pushed to the extreme by rookie Tony Bergstrom)
C -- Alex Parsons (getting all-important reps with Stefen Wisniewski still recovering from shoulder surgery)
RG -- Mike Brisiel (helping fellow linemen learn the nuances of ZBS)
RT -- Khalif Barnes (thinned down and ready for all comers)

DEFENSE
DE -- Lamaar Houston (needs to step up his production in all-important third season)
DT -- Tommy Kelly (not all that excited about potentially playing some nose tackle in 3-4 looks)
DT -- Desmond Bryant (of course this is Richard Seymour's spot, but he has yet to make an OTA)
DE -- Dave Tollefson (and this is Matt Shaughnessy's position, but we won't see him until Napa)
WLB -- Aaron Curry (was also seeing reps at middle linebacker, hmmm.)
MLB -- Travis Goethel (with suspension looming for McClain, Goethel is next best option on roster)
SLB --Philip Wheeler (energy and excitement with aplomb)
CB -- Shawntae Spencer (physical veteran should feel reborn with move across the bay)
CB -- Ronald Bartell (ridiculous physical specimen who will add physicality to position)
FS -- Michael Huff (remember when the rumor was that Huff was going to switch to cornerback?)
SS -- Tyvon Branch (growing into role of a team leader on defense)

Projecting Raiders starters after two OTAs

[StickShift]

Raiders Quarterback Terrelle Pryor on NFL Radio with Alex Marvez & Bill Polian talking about his preparation for the 2012 season. - SiriusXM Sports

[ecnirp]

Eddie Borsilli ‏@Borsilli
Pryor on right now "The worst thing about last season was that I couldnt compete. I really hurt, because I'm a competitive guy"


Eddie Borsilli ‏@Borsilli
Pryor says the biggest thing he has been working on is his footwork. Knows that the key to be a QB in the NFL


Eddie Borsilli ‏@Borsilli
Pryor wants the oppurtunity to work with @RichGannon12 because guys at the Raiders facility said Rich worked harder than anyone #Truth

Eddie Borsilli ‏@Borsilli
Pryor taking a Spanish class at BYU in hopes of finishing his degree. Said it was the thing that upset him the most the OSU scandel

Eddie Borsilli ‏@Borsilli
Funny thing from Pryor. He said he called Hue Jackson the other day to thank him for trading for Carson. Carson has taken him under his wing

[raiders12111]

Pryor is the anti-Jamarcus, the more I hear about this kid the more I want him to succeed.. If he's improving as much as has been reported throwing the ball, look out a couple years down the road.. Very much looking forward to what he's got for us in the preseason

Offering to fly himself out to MN for workouts if Gannon will have him? Priceless. You better not turn him away Rich! Something tells me you'll work something out for him.

What a fitting tribute it would be to Mr. Davis if his last pick went on to be the franchise QB for his team * ignoring Al's history in drafting QBs lol *

[TPeezy2]

all you can ask for from a developmental QB is that he works as hard as he can to fulfill his full potential

Pryor is doing that

I dont know if he'll work out or not, but at least we know he's working his ass off and doing whatever he can to be as good as possible..... hard not to respect that

[Chewy316]

I really hope that in the next few years we see a Brett Favre/Aaron Rodgers type scenario in Oakland with Palmer and Pryor. Potentially wishful thinking of course, but I have to like the way Pryor handles himself with the media. Certainly appears to be a lot smarter and "with it" than what I recollect when I met him in Miami last year that's for sure. Dude looked like a dear in the headlights when I met him, completely out of it, and this was on game day. Seems as though he's making an effort.

[cheapshotartist]

Certainly appears to be a lot smarter and "with it" than what I recollect when I met him in Miami last year that's for sure. Dude looked like a dear in the headlights when I met him, completely out of it, and this was on game day. Seems as though he's making an effort.

Come on man give me a break, and how long have you been coaching in the NFL? Your take on Pryor's mental capabilities carries as much weight as mind or any other member of this site.

[Chewy316]

Certainly appears to be a lot smarter and "with it" than what I recollect when I met him in Miami last year that's for sure. Dude looked like a dear in the headlights when I met him, completely out of it, and this was on game day. Seems as though he's making an effort.

Come on man give me a break, and how long have you been coaching in the NFL? Your take on Pryor's mental capabilities carries as much weight as mind or any other member of this site.

Im sure you can agree with me that It doesn't take a rocket scientist to get a general feel of someone's intelligence. That has nothing to do with football. I spent the Miami game on the sidelines working. I talked to Pryor on multiple occasions and based on what he was doing that day leads me to think that at the time, he certainly wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. The way he has articulated himself as of late tho certainly appears to be a person who is putting in lots of effort to get better as a football player, and that he should be given credit for.

[cheapshotartist]

Im sure you can agree with me that It doesn't take a rocket scientist to get a general feel of someone's intelligence. That has nothing to do with football. I spent the Miami game on the sidelines working. I talked to Pryor on multiple occasions and based on what he was doing that day leads me to think that at the time, he certainly wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. The way he has articulated himself as of late tho certainly appears to be a person who is putting in lots of effort to get better as a football player, and that he should be given credit for.

Like I said Chewy get real, your no different than anyone else and If you think you can determine another persons intelligence just from your non professional observations that's on you. I'll judge Pryor by what he does on the field not by some fans gut feelings. There goes that favorite word again when dealing with "curtain" QB's, you guys really amaze me with this intelligence bullsh!t. Like your observation is really going to mean sh!t when the Raiders judge their QB's. Put down the pipe Son.

[KrimzonR8R]

if what Pryor is doing is true, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. He definitely shows more promise now than when he first got drafted. I think when you have to work for what you have as opposed to getting it handed to you like JaMarcus, it has more meaning. His work ethic and determination will be the difference when it comes down to it. If he can get anything from Gannon, I would hope it's his pursuit of perfection and leadership skills. He seems to have the talent but if he can get his mechanics and discipline down, that's what's gonna make or break him. I can see him making the short to intermediate throws a lot better than making accurate deep throws, which may make him a good candidate for our new WCO. I'm excited to see him in action in preseason, I think he's going to prove a lot of doubters wrong.

[Chewy316]

Like I said Chewy get real, your no different than anyone else and If you think you can determine another persons intelligence just from your non professional observations that's on you. I'll judge Pryor by what he does on the field not by some fans gut feelings. There goes that favorite word again when dealing with "curtain" QB's, you guys really amaze me with this intelligence bullsh!t. Like your observation is really going to mean sh!t when the Raiders judge their QB's. Put down the pipe Son.

So basically what you're saying is that a person's intelligence is irrespective to their ability on a football field. And you know what? To an extent, I agree with you, but only marginally. If pure football ability and measurables were the only thing that mattered when it comes to players, we would see a lot of guys with physical talents like Russell, Bruce Campbell etc be brilliant NFL players. There is plenty different types of intelligence, and the intelligence I was referring to in my above posts were not of the football kind, and certainly don't take as you would say, "professional observations" to work out! Players need to be intelligent on the football field, and we should judge them as players only by what they do on the field, that is correct. However, when it comes to the QB position, there are a number of intangibles that come into play. Do you ever see an elite QB in today's NFL who doesn't know how to be a moral leader? Ever see an elite QB handle himself out of the game in an improper fashion? Listen to the Bradys, the Mannings, Rodgers etc and you will notice a trend: they are not only smart on the field but are just as smart off of it. They are true leaders and carry themselves in such a way. My "non professional observations" tell me that much. What did Pryor show last year that he would be able to eventually mature and develop some of these necessary qualities to be successful? Not much at all. But this off-season it is apparent that he is making more of an effort in handling himself and doing more of the little things that are necessary to have the chance to get to where Brady, Manning etc are right now. Will he ever get to where they are? Who knows, but he is going in the right direction. All the little things add up, and if you get one percent better every day, you are three times the person you are at the end of the year than when you started it. Hope you get the point I'm trying to make.

And as for your slander, I don't appreciate it, it's unwarranted and you pretty much in the above few posts have completely criticised what I've had to say as if I'm some idiot who has no idea, yet you provide no evidence to actually support your argument, well truth be told you aren't presenting a viewpoint at all, you're just criticising mine, how original. Maybe you should get your head out of the clouds and stop thinking you're above people on this board on a knowledge basis. Just because someone thinks differently to your train of thought doesn't make them wrong. And if you actually stepped back off your high horse and contributed with some actual substance that will add to this thread we might be able to have an "intelligent" discussion on Pryor and his development, as opposed to non-constructive criticism as you have previously shown. Then again, that might not be possible, given I don't have the professionalism to make such observations!

[cheapshotartist]

So basically what you're saying is that a person's intelligence is irrespective to their ability on a football field. And you know what? To an extent, I agree with you, but only marginally. If pure football ability and measurables were the only thing that mattered when it comes to players, we would see a lot of guys with physical talents like Russell, Bruce Campbell etc be brilliant NFL players. There is plenty different types of intelligence, and the intelligence I was referring to in my above posts were not of the football kind, and certainly don't take as you would say, "professional observations" to work out! Players need to be intelligent on the football field, and we should judge them as players only by what they do on the field, that is correct. However, when it comes to the QB position, there are a number of intangibles that come into play. Do you ever see an elite QB in today's NFL who doesn't know how to be a moral leader? Ever see an elite QB handle himself out of the game in an improper fashion? Listen to the Bradys, the Mannings, Rodgers etc and you will notice a trend: they are not only smart on the field but are just as smart off of it. They are true leaders and carry themselves in such a way. My "non professional observations" tell me that much. What did Pryor show last year that he would be able to eventually mature and develop some of these necessary qualities to be successful? Not much at all. But this off-season it is apparent that he is making more of an effort in handling himself and doing more of the little things that are necessary to have the chance to get to where Brady, Manning etc are right now. Will he ever get to where they are? Who knows, but he is going in the right direction. All the little things add up, and if you get one percent better every day, you are three times the person you are at the end of the year than when you started it. Hope you get the point I'm trying to make.

And as for your slander, I don't appreciate it, it's unwarranted and you pretty much in the above few posts have completely criticised what I've had to say as if I'm some idiot who has no idea, yet you provide no evidence to actually support your argument, well truth be told you aren't presenting a viewpoint at all, you're just criticising mine, how original. Maybe you should get your head out of the clouds and stop thinking you're above people on this board on a knowledge basis. Just because someone thinks differently to your train of thought doesn't make them wrong. And if you actually stepped back off your high horse and contributed with some actual substance that will add to this thread we might be able to have an "intelligent" discussion on Pryor and his development, as opposed to non-constructive criticism as you have previously shown. Then again, that might not be possible, given I don't have the professionalism to make such observations!

What I'm saying is I'm not buying what your saying period and you should not expect me or any other intelligent person to judge a professional football players intellegence based on your opinion. You have the right to give your opinion on whatever you please which is what we do on this board but for you to try and use your observations as fact is a joke. RM, DA and Knapp will decide If Pryor or any other player has what it takes to make it in the NFL. What is this slander your talking about? Please enlighten me.

[djh_raider]

I really hope that in the next few years we see a Brett Favre/Aaron Rodgers type scenario in Oakland with Palmer and Pryor. Potentially wishful thinking of course, but I have to like the way Pryor handles himself with the media. Certainly appears to be a lot smarter and "with it" than what I recollect when I met him in Miami last year that's for sure. Dude looked like a dear in the headlights when I met him, completely out of it, and this was on game day. Seems as though he's making an effort.

Actually, I hope this is not the case. Tension between Favre and Rodgers was palpable. Favre is no way a mentor.

For the first time in years (including Gannon, he was a journeyman), the Raiders have a true franchise QB. All this talking up of Pryor puts teh Raiders in the same state they haven't been since Stabler. As soon as Palmer throws an INT, the boo-birds will be out calling for Pryor. I want to see stability at QB. We saw the instability with Pastorini with Plunkett as back-up. With Plunkett with Wilson as back-up. With Schroeder with Marinovich......you get the gist.

All we are getting at the moment is lip-service from both sides. Could be a game, could be true. Until we see Pryor on the field in a game situation, the only will people see what the Raiders have got. At the moment, through 2 OTA's, Pryor is exactly what he is. A #3 QB. And, unless something remarkable happens, he will be the #3 in 2012.

It is a bit of a concern that he complains about his lack of use, and blames the coaches to an extent. But, let's be real. He was suspended for the first 5 games (though some forget he did have Training Camp). Does he really think, given all the Raiders issues at QB he could come in and make a difference? If he does, I admire the optimism but, really? The concern comes that should he be #3 behind Palmer and Leinart and not getting into games, what is he going to do? Who is he going to blame? Are we going to see him by the Gatorade cooler laughing when the Raiders are down 20-0?

I doubt the new regime will take it.

One more thing. You say later "RM, DA and Knapp will decide If Pryor or any other player has what it takes to make it in the NFL.". This is true. However, after the first OTA the Raiders signed Matt Leinart. For the second OTA, they signed Kyle Newhall-Caballero. Maybe RM, DA and Knapp are seeing, in spite of what they are saying, that Pryor does not cut it as a QB.

I only wish preople got to see Pryor in pre-season in 2011. If they did, a lot of this would be moot.

[djh_raider]

Dupe. Damn laptop.