The evolution of Terrelle Pryor is one of the most intriguing early-season storylines.
Formerly seen as an athlete masquerading as a quarterback, Pryor has vastly improved, especially in his accuracy and pocket passing. Pryor has completed 72.7 percent of his passes inside the pocket, fourth-best in the NFL, according to ESPN.com.
When the Oakland Raiders have their bye in Week 7, Pryor plans to head to Los Angeles to work with quarterback guru Tom House. House is best known for coaching Tom Brady, Drew Brees and, yes, Tim Tebow.
Pryor pointed to Tebow's experience as something he is trying to avoid.
"Tebow looked great, he was throwing the ball great, wasn't missing anything," Pryor said House told him, per ESPN.com. "Then they said he went to (training) camp, and when he went back, he reverted back to himself because (that's) when the bullets are flying at you."
Tebow was cut by the New England Patriots and is not on an NFL roster. Pryor said he's trying to avoid that Tebow-like regression.
"I hope when I get the rushers, people are rushing me, I hope I don't go back to the old thing," Pryor said Wednesday.
It's unfair to both players to compare their skills and persona. Regardless of whom he uses as an example, Pryor's acknowledgment that he needs to avoid falling back into bad habits is a great sign.
Pryor remains far from a perfect quarterback. He still gets sloppy with his footwork. Every time he scrambles outside the pocket and chucks the ball over the middle, it's impossible not to hold your breath, waiting for an interception.
Yet, his ability to create plays out of nothing makes him one of the most exciting players to watch on a weekly basis. If he doesn't regress, there is no doubt Pryor will avoid Tebow's fate.
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