For the time being, the Oakland Raiders have established who their starting quarterback. After a surge in the preseason, Terrelle Pryor will be the Week One starter against the Indianapolis Colts. The San Francisco Chronicle reports that Pryor won the spot over Matt Flynn and rookie Matt McGloin. Head coach Dennis Allen has yet to speak out about the move, but two league sources confirmed the report.
Pryor and Flynn have both had bumpy roads in the NFL. Pryor came to the Raiders after being suspended from Ohio State for accepting illegal benefits. The Raiders opted to take a chance on the quarterback, signing him in the NFL Supplemental Draft. He has been a backup ever since. Pryor gets the designation as being the final move of Al Davis' storied career in Oakland.
The move to make Pryor a starter comes after the quarterback produced a strong preseason for the Raiders. He put up 32 points on 14 drives throughout the preseason. He proved to be a successful duel threat, showing abilities to move out of the pocket and throw with accuracy. He impressed both Allen and offensive coordinator Greg Olson who referred to the quarterback as a playmaker.
"When you see Terrelle in a game, he just looks faster than the other players on the field," Olson said, via Scott Bair of CSNBayArea.com. "That's what jumped out at me, and probably jumped out at most people when they watch him play. He can run. He is a tremendous athlete, and he's got the ability to make plays. Right now we're looking for playmakers."
The move once again has Flynn starting the season with a new team, as a backup. Originally signed to be the starting quarterback of the Raiders, Flynn struggled throughout preseason action. He only put up 10 points in 13 drives, playing mostly with the first-team starters. The six-year veteran has one start under his belt since 2011. He first played backup in Green Bay for Aaron Rodgers. Seattle signed him in 2012 to be the starter before opting to go with rookie Russell Wilson. Now, the Raiders are making the same kind of move.
The news also comes on the heels of the release of rookie Tyler Wilson. The quarterback was in contention to be the starter after strong offseason workouts. However, Wilson was never able to find a rhythm in the preseason, struggling to grasp the offense and throw with accuracy. The team released him and then signed Wilson to the practice squad.
Flynn could still be a starter at some point this season. Currently suffering from elbow tendonitis, the veteran could move up if Pryor struggles. Allen is not naming a starter for competition reasons, meaning anything could happen.
