Terrelle Pryor: savior or yet another bad decision?

The question isn’t whether Oakland’s move to grab Terrelle Pryor with a 3^rd round pick is a gamble, but rather whether the Raiders should still be gambling. As an organization that has been riddled with bad ventures, should we keep throwing the Hail Mary pass waiting for a miracle to save our team? Or should we instead focus on building a solid team around a mediocre, but experienced, quarterback who might have the potential to take us to the playoffs?

The league has seen its share of average quarterbacks do just this.  This past year alone Mark Sanchez led the Jets to an AFC championship game with a completion percentage of only 54.8%. And Drew Brees was left stunned as Matt Hasselbeck led the Seahawks past the wildcard playoffs.

If this acquisition is aimed at moving Terrelle into an h-back or receiver position like Brad Smith, then this could pan out for the Raiders in the short and long-term. However, if this is a draft pick for the future, then the Raiders could have lost out on a more stable, ready to contribute 3^rd round pick next year. There is also the fact that Pryor has consistently excelled at QB and although his athletic prowess is unique among QBs, switching positions at this level is no easy feat.

Whatever their intention, the Raiders displayed their typical lack of insight with this pick, which could have been used in the future to reinforce their defensive corps after the loss of Nnamdi. We should have kept the draft pick, as offense is not what is keeping this team out of the playoffs. The glaring problems lie in the defense, which, without proper care, will hold the Raiders back and not provide Jason Campbell with the support he needs.

Ultimately, this pick is indicative of the fact that the Raiders are keen on signing players who have untapped future potential. Sadly, in most cases, it remains just that – untapped. Add to this, the fact that Pryor comes with the additional baggage of run-ins with the law and a 5 game suspension, and you have the quintessential Raider recruit.