BEREA, Ohio _ Coach Hue Jackson insists the Browns still view quarterback-turned-wide receiver Terrelle Pryor as a building block for the future despite his recent drop in production.
But not everyone believes the organization should sign Pryor to a contract extension, and one of his former teammates outlined that argument Wednesday.
Brian Hartline, who played with Pryor as a member of the Browns last season and at Ohio State University, presented his reasons for thinking the franchise should let Pryor leave as an unrestricted free agent in March during a radio interview with Bruce Hooley on Columbus radio station 105.7 The Zone.
"If I'm building a team, what is (Pryor)?" said Hartline, who spent six seasons with the Miami Dolphins and one with the Browns. "Is he my No. 1? God, I hope not because let's put it this way: For me, I want a guy day in and day out I know what I'm getting. You don't know what you're going to get. You don't know who's going to show up. You don't know if he's going to get in trouble. You don't know if he's going to smart off. I need stability. That's so more important to me. I need a guy that runs routes. I need stability. I need constant production. Is he a No. 2? OK, yeah. I mean maybe. He kind of disappeared the last couple weeks.
"So I'm very apprehensive as a Cleveland Browns guy to give out a contract. Listen, you had one year. You're a flash in the pan. You're trying to tell me with a guy that had suspect personality characteristics, I'm going to go ahead and hand you a bunch of money but you're going to work harder? Uh, I think I'm going to bet against that if I'm a betting man."
Pryor leads the 0-14 Browns with 67 catches for 877 yards and four touchdowns in his first full season as a receiver. However, he has just five catches for 22 yards on 11 targets in the past two games with quarterback Robert Griffin III back from a fractured left shoulder he suffered Sept. 11. He's tied for 27th in the NFL in catches and ranks 23rd in receiving yards.
Pryor suffered a torn ligament in his right middle finger during the third quarter of Sunday's 33-13 loss to the Buffalo Bills and will undergo surgery after the season. But he has vowed to play Saturday in the home finale against the San Diego Chargers (5-9) and Jan. 1 in the season finale at the Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5).
"He's being productive," said Hartline, who was cut by the Browns in May. "At no point is he being dominant. He's doing more than we thought, and that's the reaction. I wish him well. And by the way, as a Cleveland Browns fan, guys, hey, alert everybody, it's OK to let guys go and let them be successful elsewhere as long as they don't fit your mold. Just have a plan.
"If they don't fit your plan, let them go and wish them well. It's OK. It's not a big deal, but you better have a response. You better have a guy to fill that void. So for me, I'm not paying a guy off of one year. I'm wishing him well, and I'm going to go ahead and go build something else because I'm not sure Terrelle Pryor is a building block."
Pryor, 27, declined to comment on Hartline's remarks and referred questions to Jackson.
Jackson was asked if he still considers Pryor a building block despite the past two games.
"Oh, I do. Oh yeah, that has not changed," Jackson said. "You guys know I have a tremendous amount of confidence in Terrelle. I think he is only going to get better as he moves forward. Terrelle is like most guys. He wants it all. He wants to be the best at what he does. He understands there are growing pains in anything. You have to work through those times when they do not go as well.
"Terrelle would like to catch 10 balls every game, but it does not work like that in this league. (Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver) Antonio Brown does not catch 10 balls every game right now. It is just the way it is. When your number is called, you have to make those plays, and he will make them. He will continue to grow. His best football is ahead of him. He just has to keep his head down and keep grinding and keep pushing through."
The Browns have had preliminary contract extension talks with Pryor's agents. Pryor has said he wants to remain with Jackson, the coach of the Oakland Raiders when they drafted the former Buckeyes standout as a quarterback in the third round of the 2011 supplemental draft.
