BEREA: Impending free agent Terrelle Pryor struggles to harness his competitive fire at times, so finishing the 2016 season with a record of 1-15 can’t be easy for him to swallow.
Yet Pryor believes the Browns can reverse their fortunes under coach Hue Jackson, so he has told agents Drew and Jason Rosenhaus he would like to stay in Cleveland.
“Absolutely. I told them, and we’ve had a lot of conversations,” Pryor said Monday as players cleaned out their lockers and headed into the offseason break. “At the end of the day, as you guys know, football is a business, and [a new contract has] got to make sense for myself.
“I’d love to play for Coach Hue. I loved playing with him this year, no matter what. Despite the 1-15 record, I’m not worried about that. … I love this place. I love Cleveland. I love the fans here. It’s amazing.”
Pryor’s faith in Jackson stems from their close relationship and his ability to motivate the players to keep fighting after they lost the first 14 games of the season.
“[Owner] Jimmy [Haslam] said, ‘We have the right guys in place in terms of coaches,’ ” said Pryor, who’s scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent on March 9. “That’s definitely the truth. Obviously, we need more players. I think we’re not far.”
But the Browns used six quarterbacks in 2016 and still haven’t solved the position.
“It’s something that I think my agents have to converse about with the team,” Pryor said. “But coming back here, I know Hue would have that situation handled, all the situations. Whatever holes that he thinks we have, I’m sure they’ll handle it, him and [head of football operations] Sashi [Brown].”
Pryor’s agents had preliminary contract extension talks with the Browns in the fall but shelved negotiations until after the season. Pryor said he expects the discussions to resume soon. The Browns could keep him without a long-term deal by placing their franchise tag on him.
No matter what happens with his contract situation, he’s on the verge of receiving a huge payday.
In his first full season as a receiver, the former quarterback led the Browns with 77 catches for 1,007 yards and four touchdowns.
“Hopefully he’s back,” quarterback Robert Griffin III said. “We want him back.”
Some of Pryor’s critics doubted his transition would be a success.
“I can’t really worry about the naysayers or stuff like that,” he said. “So I think with that clear mind and that tunnel vision, that focus that you have to have, I think you can do anything if you’re focused and you’re together with your teammates and your teammates got your back and I’ve got their back. I think that’s special.”
Left tackle Joe Thomas lamented the Browns allowing key players to leave as free agents in the past and doesn’t want to see the same happen with Pryor.
“You sometimes hear fans say, ‘Well we were 1-15 with them, we can be 1-15 without them,’ ” Thomas said. “But if you want to be better than 1-15, you have to keep your good players. That’s just the way it goes. You can’t keep getting rid of good players and think you’re going to get better. Anybody with a brain can figure that out.”
Pryor, 27, will remain with the Browns for at least the next three to four weeks because he’ll undergo surgery on the torn ligament in his right middle finger Wednesday in Cleveland and wants to rehabilitate with guidance of the team’s medical staff. Pryor played with the injury for the final three games.
“I always point at Joe [Thomas] because I think he’s the ultimate teammate and the ultimate professional,” Pryor said. “The pain and stuff that he plays with and the injuries he plays with and he still continues to give his best foot forward and all the effort to be the best teammate he can be, I can go out there with some torn ligaments in my hand and try to tough it out. It’s special, and the type of guys we have in here, that’s the reason I wanted to finish strong with them.”
Unfortunate ending
Cameron Erving, a first-round draft pick in 2015, had a brace on his left leg and used crutches Monday after suffering a knee injury on a field-goal attempt in Sunday’s season finale.
Erving said more tests must be done to determine the extent of the injury and whether he needs surgery.
“When life gives you lemons, you suck them,” Erving said. “I’m a professional athlete. At the end of the day, these are the things that you have to deal with sometimes.
“It’s only a minor setback, whatever it may be. I’m focused on getting ready for next season, enjoying this time I have off in the offseason and coming back and doing what we need to do and continue to make progress in the organization.”
The Browns moved Erving from center to right tackle for the finale. He said he played “pretty well” at tackle and felt more natural there than center.
“Being at tackle felt comfortable,” said Erving, who started 37 games at left tackle at Florida State before moving to center for the final five games.
Increased production
Running back Isaiah Crowell finished with 198 carries for 952 yards (4.8 average) and seven touchdowns, plus 40 catches for 319 yards. All of those numbers represent a career best except for touchdown runs (he had eight as a rookie in 2014).
So Crowell weathered the storm he created this past summer by posting a violent, anti-police illustration on Instagram and went on to have a productive season.
“I’m happy with everything that happened because it taught me a lot,” Crowell said. “I’m glad the way I went through the season. I didn’t let anything hold me down. I’m proud of myself.”
Jackson has said he views Crowell as an important piece of the team’s future, so the organization is expected to retain him in the offseason when he’s set to become a restricted free agent.
Although Crowell said falling 48 rushing yards shy of 1,000 “upset” him, he should receive a shot to reach the goal next season with the Browns.
Extra points
• Thomas said he plans to play in the Pro Bowl on Jan. 29 despite dealing with a knee injury since October. However, he didn’t rule out an offseason surgery. “You never know what can happen in the offseason,” he said. “But I’m always open and available for doing anything I can to help my body prepare for another NFL season.”
• Defensive end Desmond Bryant, who missed the entire 2016 season with a torn pectoral muscle suffered before training camp, said he expects to be medically cleared to resume football activities soon and will be ready for the start of the offseason workout program in the spring. “I missed doing my job, and watching every week on TV other guys doing what I love to do kind of sucked,” Bryant said. “But can’t wait to get back out there.”
• Right guard John Greco said he has “no doubt” he’ll be ready for training camp after suffering a Lisfranc injury Nov. 27 against the New York Giants and undergoing foot surgery three weeks ago. Dr. Robert Anderson performed the surgery. “I was hearing nine months, 10 months [for recovery],” Greco said, “and [Anderson] was like, ‘Nah, you’re a young guy. You’ll be able to bounce back.’ ”
• Impending unrestricted free agent offensive lineman Austin Pasztor said he doesn’t have a sense whether the Browns want to retain him, but he hopes to return. “I’d like to be back,” said Pasztor, who started 15 games at right tackle before moving to right guard for the finale. “I’ve had an enjoyable two years in this organization. I think there’s bright things ahead for the Cleveland Browns, so I’d love to be a part of it.”
• Inside linebacker Chris Kirksey finished the season ranked third in the NFL with 148 tackles. Seattle Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner was first (167 tackles), and Buffalo Bills linebacker Zach Brown (149 tackles) was second.
• The Browns signed the following eight players to the reserve/future list: wide receiver Josh Boyce, linebacker James Burgess, defensive lineman Trevon Coley, defensive backs Justin Currie, Trae Elson and Darius Hillary, tight end J.P. Holtz and offensive tackle Zach Sterup. They all finished the season the team’s practice squad.
• Griffin and his Family of III Foundation will help Chip and Joanna Gaines renovate the home of a Vietnam veteran and his wife in Waco, Texas, on the popular HGTV show Fixer Upper. The episode will first air on Jan. 10.
Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read the Browns blog at www.ohio.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/NateUlrichABJ and on Facebook www.facebook.com/abj.sports.