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The Jets stayed out of the receiver market in the first wave of free agency where the money got predictably crazy. Now, their patience may have paid off with a steal of a signing a little more than one week after free agency began.
The Jets agreed to terms with free-agent receiver Terrelle Pryor on a contract Thursday night, an NFL source confirmed to SNY. The 6-foot-4, 228-pound receiver could turn out to be the No. 1 receiver the Jets seem to need - if he's able to rebound from a terrible season in Washington last year.
The Jets also had been interested in free agent Allen Hurns, the former Jaguars receiver who missed six games with an ankle injury last season - and they might still be. The 26-year-old was scheduled to meet with the Jets on Wednesday, but a snowstorm forced him to cancel his visit, and he went to Dallas instead. According to one report, he was on his way to visit the Jets on Thursday night before the Jets agreed to their deal with Pryor. It's unclear if that news will cause Hurns to again change his plans.
Regardless, adding Pryor is a bit of a gamble, but one that may prove to be good for the Jets. The 28-year-old Pryor is stuck again in a situation where he needs to prove his worth after catching just 20 passes for 240 yards in nine games with the Redskins last season, before ankle surgery ended his year in November.
If he's healthy, though, Pryor has shown he's capable of being a top target. He had a breakout season in 2016, catching 77 passes for 1,007 yards with the Cleveland Browns, just a year after the former Ohio State quarterback converted full time to receiver. That one season wasn't enough for him to strike it rich, though, which is why he ended up with a one-year, $6 million deal in Washington.
His potential certainly makes him worth a low-cost flier, which is likely what this deal is. That's especially true for the Jets, who don't appear to have a great receiving corps. They have Jermaine Kearse and a hopefully healthy Quincy Enunwa as part of their Top Three, along with the speedy Robby Anderson, who is likely facing a season-opening suspension. They have high hopes for last year's rookies, ArDarius Stewart and Chad Hansen, but they barely played last year.
Pryor would give them another young receiver who can compete for a future job (and future contract), and if he's healthy, he would be one more proven target as they try to develop their young quarterbacks - Teddy Bridgewater and whomever they take with the third pick in the draft.
The Jets seemingly weren't interested in the receiver market when it opened, and they became less interested when they saw the big (and crazy) money being thrown around. According to a team source, they were content to go into the season with the receivers that they had, but were always confident they'd find a bargain if they waited long enough.
And that's exactly what appears to have happened.
