The Seattle Seahawks added to their arsenal on Monday, acquiring Terrelle Pryor from the Oakland Raiders in exchange for only a seventh-round pick.
It’s enough to make you wonder how nobody out there thought a player with such talent was worth a simple sixth rounder.
After all, despite playing the same position as Russell Wilson, Pryor can both a) provide insurance for Wilson, and b) bring an added element to an already dangerous offense. We’re talking about a guy who averaged 6.9 yards per rushing attempt last season, which was by far the league high among quarterbacks with at least 40 carries. Pryor’s 576 rushing yards ranked second to only Cam Newton, who had nine more yards but started seven more games.
Any time you have a chance to add a player who can do this, you’d be crazy not to.
No, he isn’t the best passer out there. Pryor completed only 57.4 percent of his throws in 2013 and ranked second-last among 37 qualifying quarterbacks with a passer rating of just 69.1. But he’s also only 24 years old and has started just 10 games in his NFL career.
In the right place, he could have a chance to improve as a passer while contributing as a specialty quarterback and maybe even as a wide receiver or tight end. After all, in addition to having lightning speed, the guy is 6-foot-6, 240 pounds.
And this could be the right place. Pryor fits the scheme and joins a healthy, productive environment. He’ll be under little pressure and will have a chance to excel in multiple areas. If it doesn’t work, he won’t be bringing down a team that already has the Super Bowl formula without him. If it does work, he’ll only make them scarier.
That’s a win-win.