Cleveland Browns
Last year, the Browns weren’t sure what to do with Terrelle
Pryor to the point that the team released him a few days before the regular season started and then signed him again last December, giving Pryor a chance to continue his transition from quarterback to wide receiver.
Pryor is a more confident and polished wide receiver this season, and in last week’s preseason game vs. the Atlanta Falcons he torched Falcons CB Desmond
Trufant for a 50-yard touchdown.
Browns QB Robert Griffin III has developed trust in Pryor. With rookie WR Corey Coleman having missed most of the last two weeks of practice with a hamstring issue, Pryor has not only run exclusively with the No. 1 offense but has been Griffin’s top target.
The Browns eventually hope to have Coleman, Pryor and Josh
Gordon, who’s on track to be reinstated in Week 5 of the regular season, on the field at the same time. In the meantime, they’ll look for Pryor to keep developing as an all-around re- ceiver and to keep tracking deep passes from Griffin. At 6-3, Pryor also figures to be a matchup problem in the red zone.
Rookie watch: Third-round DE Carl Nassib was a starter for one season at Penn State, but he led the nation with 15.5 sacks. The Browns know Nassib needs to keep adding muscle, but he’s impressed with his effort level and natural pass-rush ability. Nassib probably won’t be a starter this year, but he’s earned his way onto the field as a pass rusher.
Noteworthy: The Browns expected to have Coleman, Gordon and two-time Pro Bowl CB
Joe Haden available for their two days of joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers leading up to the teams’ Aug. 26 preseason game. ... Despite drafting four wide receivers and getting Gordon back from suspension for multiple violations of the NFL’s substance-abuse policy, the Browns had only five healthy and available receivers for last week’s preseason game.