According to BookMaker.EU, the Philadelphia Eagles are listed as favorites to land pending free agent wide receiver Terrelle Pryor. The line was first reported by sportsline and cites that the Eagles lead the charge to land the breakout star of 2016, with odds of +150.
The other teams in the mix according to the report are as follows:
Baltimore Ravens +450
Los Angeles Rams +800
Tampa Bay Buccaneers +1500
Cleveland Browns +2300
The Eagles continue to be linked with the majority of free agent wide receivers, despite Howie Roseman’s assertion at the NFL Combine that the team won’t make any shortsighted moves:
“We don’t want to do something shortsighted and lose an opportunity.” Roseman told the media on Wednesday. “The offseason doesn’t begin and end with free agency, it’s certainly a part of it. We’ve got long time until we play a game.
“We don’t want to force anything. When we look back at the mistakes we’ve made and around the NFL, it’s when you force some things…”…we’re not going to take a player or pick a player in the draft just because of need. “
After recording 1,007 yards in 2016, Pryor was at least expected to be franchise tagged by the Browns, instead..it appears as though he’s been allowed to test the free agency market, despite a reasonable pursuit.
Pryor should obviously interest the Eagles, but after such a stunning year, it would be fair to assume that the former quarterback is expecting a heft payday..and there’s no doubt he deserves it. The problem is, do the Eagles have enough cap space to sign him..and if they do, what role would he play.
The Browns surprisingly had a solid receiving corps in 2016..with Pryor and rookie Corey Coleman headlining the group. If the Eagles were to sign Pryor as a number one wide receiver, it would be placing all of their chips on the table on a receiver with just one full NFL season’s experience at the position and one solid season at that. It’s not to say he’s undeserving of such a salary, but he wouldn’t be surrounded by the same talent to elevate his game as he was in 2016..and now teams will have a year of wide receiver tape on him..it’s unlikely he will make the same splashes he did a year ago.
If the Eagles sign Pryor as a 2nd/3rd wide receiver, who loses out? Jordan Matthews controls the slot and Nelson Agholor would naturally fit alongside whomever the Eagles decide to add to a lacking position. Dorial Green-Beckham, Paul Turner and BryceTreggs could all find themselves fighting for their Eagles future in such an instance.
This is of course all speculative and there will naturally be plenty of teams bidding for Pryor’s services..but will the Eagles be one of them? The Vegas betting lines are normally a good guideline to follow and for good reasons. But the Eagles need for a wide receiver may not correlate with their new direction, current cap situation and the price tag Pryor could drum up.
Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports
