Training Camp Battles: The Raiders Quarterback Situation
Training camp is upon us which means that football is finally back! For some of us it feels like forever since the Ravens won the Super Bowl and Ray Lewis cried with hundreds of cameras pointed at him. Since then we have had free agency, the draft, and some OTAs but we still have an awful lot of questions about what might happen when the games matter and who the true breakout stars might be. In order to help draw your attention to a few different training camp battles that could have a long lasting impact on your fantasy roster we are kicking off our Training Camp Battles series.
We will give you an in-depth look at several training camp battles and give you the strengths and weaknesses of each player involved. We will also break down what they need to do in order to win the battle and what the upside is for the winner.
Our series continues with a look at the quarterback position for the Oakland Raiders. The Raiders have really been looking for a quarterback of even moderate ability ever since the turn of the millennium when they had Rich Gannon lead them to multiple double digit win seasons. Since then it has been a rotating door with its most famous failure being JaMarcus Russell. Before I go any further though, let me say that this is a battle that really only matters in super-flex or two quarterback leagues. With that said, let’s take a look at the players currently in this battle and see if any of them can be the answer.
Matt Flynn
In my opinion, Flynn is one of the most talked about NFL players who hasn’t really done anything. A seventh round pick in 2008, he started two games in five years, both with the Packers. While he did perform well enough over those two starts, the fact he is now on his third team and still competing for the starting role doesn’t inspire visions of greatness.
Strengths: When it comes to this competition, Flynn has two major points in his favor. The first and foremost is his experience. He learned behind Aaron Rodgers for four years and spent an additional year in Seattle. This should help him pick up and learn the offense faster than his competition. His second main point is that he is an above average quarterback when it comes to accuracy.
Weaknesses: To be honest, there is a reason he was a seventh round pick in the draft. From a talent perspective, he is average at best. His size is only adequate which leads to some batted balls at the line of scrimmage. He isn’t the most athletic or mobile quarterback. He also doesn’t have the strongest arm.
What he needs to do: He is currently listed as the starter andjust needs to make sure he doesn’t screw up. With his main attributes being his accuracy and knowledge of the play book, he needs to make completions and avoid turnovers. He also needs to show good chemistry with his teammates and show command of the offense.
Upside:  Even if he wins the full time starter role, he doesn’t have many pass catching options. I wouldn’t expect much more than 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns, which would be low end QB2 numbers. You can find higher upside backups.
Terrelle Pryor
A third round pick in the 2011 supplemental draft, Pryor comes with a checkered history. He was a very good dual threat quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes and talked up as a Heisman candidate. Then he ended up at the heart of multiple NCAA investigations into receiving illegal benefits and withdrew from school, finding his way to Al Davis’ Raiders.
Strengths: Pryor brings a unique skill set to the Raiders. He has good size for the position and brings speed and agility that would work very well with the new trend of the read-option and pistol style of offense. In addition to his legs, he has a strong arm that can push the ball downfield when needed.
Weaknesses: He’s still struggling to learn the position at the NFL level. His mechanics aren’t very good and he struggles on short or intermediate routes where he needs to take a little bit off the ball. He is still a work in progress and is prone to mistakes.
What he needs to do: He needs to learn how to throw the football with some touch. Not every pitch needs to be a fastball. He also needs to be able to stand tall in the pocket and read a defense. Only then will he be able to be a dual threat in the NFL. It isn’t enough to just be able to throw the ball deep and run with the football.
Upside: Of the three options, Pryor offers the most fantasy upside thanks to his dual threat nature. While I would cap his passing numbers around 2,500 yards and 18 touchdowns, he could easily rush for another 500 yards and five touchdowns if the Raiders follow the trend and employ a read-option style of offense. Even with that, he is still no more than a QB2 option until he can improve his passing.
Tyler Wilson
The 2013 fourth round pick out of Arkansas was a popular sleeper pick after the NFL draft due to the lack of an established quarterback on the Raiders roster. Much of that shine has since worn off thanks to the reports that have been coming out of the off-season program. At this point, it is more likely he is viewed as a multiple year prospect.
Strengths: Wilson is the most physically gifted passer of this group. He has a strong, accurate arm with the ability to adjust his throwing angles and his velocity to make the NFL throws required of him in any offensive style. He also has decent feet and can shift in the pocket to avoid the pass rush when needed, allowing him to stand tall in the pocket and deliver the ball.
Weaknesses: While he has the physical tools needed to be a very good quarterback, the mental part of his game is lacking so far. He doesn’t make the best choices with the ball. He has also struggled to read defenses and pick up an NFL offense in camp. You can also add in the fact he has a fairly slow delivery which sometimes makes him miss the small windows of opportunity available in a pro game.
What he needs to do: He needs to spend a lot of time adjusting his mechanics and his process so he can get all of it up to the speed that it needs to be. At this point in time, he is too slow to process and too slow to deliver the ball to be effective. Fortunately he is only a rookie and will be given a year or two to work on all of this.
Upside: His chances of starting this year seem to be getting slimmer and slimmer with each passing week. Unless you have deep rosters or are in a super-flex or two quarterback league he really doesn’t belong on rosters at this point in time. There was a lot of hype this Spring, but he isn’t as NFL ready as many thought.
Prediction
This one might come down to the scheme the Raiders want to run. If they are willing to commit to the read-option style of play, Pryor will be the guy. If they want to do a more traditional offense, Flynn will be leading the offense. If I had to guess, I would say that it will be the latter and the Raiders will lean heavily on the running game. If wouldn’t surprise me if both quarterbacks see some time as starter this year and the Raiders are looking for yet another new quarterback next season.
- Final 2021 Pre-Draft Rookie Mock: Round Three - April 28, 2021
- Final 2021 Pre-Draft Rookie Mock: Round Two - April 26, 2021
- Final 2021 Pre-Draft Rookie Mock: Round One - April 25, 2021
