Pryor getting opportunity with Bengals
Wearing an orange No. 3 jersey, Terrelle Pryor took the snap, looked to his left and lofted a pass perfectly along the sideline to Tevin Reese, an undrafted rookie from Baylor.
On that throw, he didn’t look like a quarterback who has bounced around the NFL because of accuracy issues.
The former Ohio State quarterback was invited to try out with the Cincinnati Bengals this weekend at their rookie camp, getting another chance to extend his career in the NFL. This chance came in part because of his connection with offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, who was his head coach in Oakland in 2011.
No promises. No commitments. Just a chance to show how much he’s grown.
“That’s a different quarterback,” Jackson said after a Friday afternoon practice. “So this guy’s improved. He’s a very talented young man. But again, we’ll see where we are. Today is just one day.”
Fowler out for rookie season
Jacksonville Jaguars defensive end Dante Fowler Jr., the third overall pick in the draft, is likely out for the season after tearing a knee ligament during his first practice.
Fowler tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during rookie minicamp Friday. ESPN first reported the extent of the injury.
The injury looked serious live and appeared even worse in video replays. Tests revealed the extent of the injury.
Panthers rookies injured
The Carolina Panthers’ top two draft picks were unable to finish rookie minicamp practices because of minor injuries.
Linebacker Shaq Thompson, the 25th overall pick, left halfway through Friday afternoon’s practice because of a strained hamstring after slipping on the grass field. A short while later, second-round pick Devin Funchess was carted off early to get an IV for leg cramps.
Rivera said he is hoping Thompson can return to practice today because he will miss installation time at OTAs while finishing up his college classes at Washington.
Funchess says he’s fine and plans to practice today.
Cowboys’ Brent retires
Dallas Cowboys defensive lineman Josh Brent is retiring for the second time since the drunken-driving crash that killed teammate Jerry Brown and derailed his career.
The Cowboys placed Brent on the reserve/retired list Friday, a few days after he met with coach Jason Garrett and owner and general manager Jerry Jones to discuss his future. He had been participating in the club’s offseason program.
Brent retired before training camp in 2013 while awaiting trial in his intoxication manslaughter case. He was convicted early last year, and a 10-year prison term was suspended. Brent, who had a previous drunken-driving conviction in Illinois, spent about six months in jail.