Wide receiver Terrelle Pryor signed with the Redskins on Friday, which came after he insisted throughout last season that he wanted to remain with the Browns. However, after Washington offered Pryor a one-year deal worth up to $8MM, he never went back to the Browns to see if they’d match it, reports Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com. The Browns likely would have done so had he given them the opportunity, per Cabot.
Fresh off a breakout 2016, his first full season as a receiver after converting from the quarterback position, the expectation was that Pryor would sign a far richer deal. He had designs on a pact worth up to $15MM per annum, according to Cabot, who adds that Cleveland’s original proposal was worth $8MM to $9MM annually. While Cabot doesn’t specify the length of the offer, Tony Grossi of ESPN.com writes that the Browns were willing to give Pryor $17MM in guarantees. One could surmise, then, that the Browns had a four-year offer on the table. After all, they handed fellow free agent wideout Kenny Britt $17MM in guarantees Thursday on a four-year, $32.5MM accord.
Going forward, a quality showing for Pryor in 2017 – his age-28 season – should lead to a much better payday by next March. Despite having to catch passes from five less-than-ideal quarterback options last year, Pryor hauled in 77 receptions for 1,004 yards and four touchdowns. The Redskins, meanwhile, have an established signal-caller, Kirk Cousins, who’s coming off a near-5,000-yard season. Cousins is among the NFL’s most prolific gunslingers, and if the Redskins don’t trade the franchise-tagged passer by next season, Pryor shouldn’t have difficulty producing in Washington’s offense and making his case for a multiyear deal in the process.
He better put up the big numbers this season, because Cousins may be gone after it.
He’ll b gone too. That’s why the one year deal.
“However, after Washington offered Pryor a one-year deal worth up to $8MM, he never went back to the Browns to see if they’d match it, reports Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com.”
See, it was all agent driven. When the Browns didn’t use the franchise tag and guarantee almost 16m, the agents were determined that Pryor wasn’t going to return to the Browns. A team with that much salary cap space and you don’t take the offer back to them and see if they match it or top it?
“While Cabot doesn’t specify the length of the offer, Tony Grossi of ESPN.com writes that the Browns were willing to give Pryor $17MM in guarantees. One could surmise, then, that the Browns had a four-year offer on the table. After all, they handed fellow free agent wideout Kenny Britt $17MM in guarantees Thursday on a four-year, $32.5MM accord.”
And, like I said, they probably had the same offer to Pryor that they gave to Britt. Pryor’s agents need to be fired.