Struggling to find anyone with a positive word to say about Pryor, even after recent developments. Sure, he's not transforming your fantasy season if he gets the starting job, but it sounds like a lot of people have it in for him from the start and can't even entertain the possiblity that he could be fantasy relevant.
Have you read this thread by any chance?
Ditto.
*Edited* to add that I just saw your reply. You can't really count the replies from a year ago. I think a lot of posters recently are giving him at least a little credit and a bit of possibility towards getting better.
Fair enough - I was talking more about the general vibe, not just on this thread or this site. It's not that I think Pryor's awesome, I just find it kind of interesting that a lot of people seem to have a default negative opinion when it comes to this guy. I might be wrong.
No, you're right.
Thing is, it was mostly validated, this bad feeling. There may be irrational dislike, but until about 6 weeks ago, it was understandable. He was unlikable in college, was an average to below average prospect as a pure passer, and then was 'overdrafted' by Al Davis in the supplemental. Pretty easy to ignore/dislike him as a QB.
And by the way, every bit of action he got last year in preseason, and practice reports, there wasn't many good thing about the passing. The practice reports, from the beat writers, bordered on the brutal. The Raider fans that wanted him to play, no one thought he was the next Newton, it was more like, "Well, let's see what the kid can do."
Pryor this summer, this is the first we have seen of him. His improvement is dramatic. Turning point, it seems, is someone changed his mechanics. Pryor is famously (well, for Raider fans) quoted as saying he didn't know how to throw until this spring. So, this is not a guy that has shown well, and was stuck behind Palmer.
Thus far, it seems like this is a guy that has pulled a 180, and dramatically improved.
My attitude has certainly done a 180. I saw no reason to play him last year, aside from the occasional funky offensive package, maybe on the goalline. Now, I think they HAVE to start him, because they need to know what they have in him before they decide on Bridgewater (or whichever QB) and Clowney next spring.
It's a lost year for the Raiders. They gutted short term talent to get out from under massive salary cap mistakes. If they find their QB this year, and Pryor is the goods, the year will be a success. They can draft Clowney, and enter next offseason with more cap space than anyone.