Terrelle Pryor has Déjà vu in rough first day of training camp

[Raider Ran]

by Levi Damien on Jul 30, 2012 5:10 PM PDT

Well, technically this is Terrelle Pryor's second day of training camp. He came in last season on the final day of training camp after the team grabbed him in the third round of the compensatory draft. On his single day of training camp in 2011, he struggled mightily. His return to the scene of the crime on the first day of 2012 camp was not much better.

On that fateful single training camp day of 2011, he had great difficulty in just the center quarterback exchange. When he first got into team drills, he fumbled more snaps than not. On this day, his very first snap hit the turf. Perhaps there were some flashbacks happening on that one.

We have had all of OTA's and minicamps to watch Pryor this offseason. And at times he has looked decent, albeit unremarkable. His passes flutter and he seems to guide them into the receiver as if he is scared if he puts anything behind it, it will go wild. He did much of that today as well.

The times he throws long, he is often off target. His toughest throws are mid to long range hitting a target on a crossing route. Today, he had one of those and he threw it well behind his target receiver, Juron Criner. He was just lucky there wasn't a cornerback in tow to grab an easy interception.

He did settle down and complete a few passes. Although he hasn't gotten the timing completely down. While Palmer is a master of throwing the ball before the receiver has even turned around, Pryor must wait until the receiver makes his break and turns and shows himself before he releases the ball. And even then, it is a stationary target which is not where he has his primary issue.

Practice ended worse than it started for Pryor. On the final play of the day, with the team lined up with their backs against their own goal line, he rolled out left on an attempted screen pass. He was in the end zone and stumbled. While stumbling, he attempted a shovel pass to... someone... and it ended up right in the hands of rookie defensive lineman Christo Bilukidi who hauled it in and ran it in for a touchdown.

"I just read it." said Bilukidi. "It seemed like everything that coach was teaching us, how to read plays, how to read the offense, saw it was a screen, I just backed up and then just had to make a play."

In last season's camp under Hue Jackson, he would have added another play trying to send Pryor out of practice feeling a little better about himself. But under the new defensive minded Dennis Allen, the thought didn't cross his mind. That was it. Practice over. And as an added bonus, one of the defenders got to leave on a high note.

That is a good lesson for Pryor. Games and even seasons end on plays like that. This is just practice and he is lucky the sting will last just one night instead of a week or an entire offseason. Hue may feel the need to baby his quarterbacks but Allen is not one to pamper.

After practice, Allen was asked what he expects from Pryor.

"I have expectations of him to develop as a quarterback on a daily basis." Said Allen. "I'm not setting anything as far as where I want to see him on the depth chart or how many passes or anything like that, I just want to see him get better every day. That's what he's come out here and tried to do, and I think if he continues to do that, at the end of the day he's going to be all right."

Pryor has said his goal is to get "one percent" better every day in practice. While I am not a mathematician, I'll just say he has a good percentage to go yet.

Terrelle Pryor has Déjà vu in rough first day of training camp - Silver And Black Pride

[j_sizzle]

i here we need a TE... if ya know what I mean

[Fabbulous]

i here we need a TE... if ya know what I mean

I know what ya mean bro.

[Hawaiian Raider]

i here we need a TE... if ya know what I mean

... I had hope for Pryor. It is fading. He appears to have the work ethic, the right attitude, the commitment, and the physical tools. So it's puzzling why it hasn't translated into success on the field. The good news? It's still early, and we have a starter with a veteran back-up, so ... .

[B. anthracis]

Sounds like confidence issues. The guy took a million snaps before coming to the NFL so he's certainly capable of completing the exchange. Also, he's being tentative with his throws, another indicator of low confidence. He's just gotta grip it and rip it and be willing to make the mistakes that happen on the road to getting better. No one's expecting him to compete for the starting job or even the #2 spot. So don't sweat it, learn the playbook, and throw the damn ball like you mean it.

[ecnirp]

... I had hope for Pryor. It is fading. He appears to have the work ethic, the right attitude, the commitment, and the physical tools. So it's puzzling why it hasn't translated into success on the field. The good news? It's still early, and we have a starter with a veteran back-up, so ... .

Yea I've done a 180...

Its a league where you either get better or you dont....I'd have no problems with these reports if they were in the spring. I have no problems with him being a 3rd string QB. Russell Wilson, Ryan Mallet, Nick Foles, Ricky Stanzi, etc. etc. Numerous guys that are young QBs drafted 3rd round or below who are 3rd stringers...However, they are showing promise.

If Pryor doesnt at least show promise....what is he? You're right...its early...so he has that going for him. I know he's been through some difficult things the past week...but this is a critical training camp/year for him (even though he wont play...he has to show these coaches something in practice)

Or maybe he's a Tebow/Vince Young type of a guy...terrible practice players...who play better (although not good) in live situations when their running ability benefits their game. (wouldnt want them as starters..but not bad for a backup) Idk. But as of today and the foreseeable future...I am going to have rather low expectations of him. Unless he decides to switch to WR/TE. Maybe he proves me wrong, but I sort of doubt it.

[TPeezy2]

I'm waiting to see Pryor in game action in preseason to make a judgment on whether he is an NFL QB or not...

but as of today, I still feel he's best suited for a position change WR/"TE (aka big WR who is never asked to block)" with the ability to give you a trick play or 2 on a WR pass or out of the wildcat

[ballin12]

Where are all the people who were feverishly defending pryor saying he was the QB of the future?

[MadBomber24]

Well this will be a change. I actually think the criticism of Pryor right now is unwarranted. While I have long felt he doesn't have it in him to be an NFL QB I don't feel there is any reason to take what's going on now as a reason to think my initial thoughts are right. He is essentially a rookie 3rd rd pick. Has never even taken a pre season snap yet and is in his first ever training camp with a different offense from last year. At best the guy was thought to be a project so the fact that he is struggling on the first day of his first trainin camp means absolutely nothing. Honestly he just needs to try to improve little by little each day/ week. Where he's at now is just fine. It's his starting point.

[Raidermofojeff]

This is not surprising, it was always gonna be an uphill climb for the guy.
He seems to be a good kid and I wish him the best.

[Murphy for six]

Ill hold my judgement until i see him in action in the pre season...gotta give him a chance

[Mr Terrific]

on that fateful single training camp day of 2011, he had great difficulty in just the center quarterback exchange. When he first got into team drills, he fumbled more snaps than not. On this day, his very first snap hit the turf. Perhaps there were some flashbacks happening on that one.

[TPeezy2]

Ill hold my judgement until i see him in action in the pre season...gotta give him a chance

I agree... I think he's probably best in game situations where he can use his athleticism to his advantage....

but ultimately to be an NFL QB, you have to be able to throw the ball.... I think we'll all be able to see if Pryor can throw the ball like an NFL QB after 10 to 15 throws in preseason games

[MsAutumnWind]

Glad to see some of Allen's comments about Pryor today. He suggested that he won't be coddling Pryor, the complete opposite of what Hue Jackson (dare I say his name in this forum) did with him last year. He's looking for improvement & consistency not just from Pryor, but the entire team, and I don't doubt that Allen will take action if he doesn't see this from certain players.

[cheapshotartist]

Why all the Pryor hate? The kid was a reach, he is a project and some of you guys are acting like he is our franchise QB. He is what we though he was a green rookie who will be our #3 QB IF he makes the team. Cut the kid some slack folks, damn.