Terrelle Pryor: Why the QB Could Be a Good Fit for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Recently it was reported Ohio State quarterback Terrelle Pryor would not return for his senior season and will attempt to enter the NFL through its annual supplemental draft.

One NFL team that could benefit from his services is the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Many have compared Pryor's quarterback style to that of Bucs QB Josh Freeman. Pryor could be signed to a small contract and put directly into the role of Freeman's backup.

The Buccaneers' current second-string QB, Josh Johnson, has recently been very open about his future possibilities and his desire to be a starting quarterback.

"In all reality, and it might sound crazy when I say this, I never played football to just be a backup. That was never my goal," Johnson said.

Johnson is slated to become a free agent after the 2011 season. Many experts predict he will not return to Tampa Bay for 2012 and opt for a chance to be a starter in a more desired city.

This opens the door for Pryor to become the new backup in Tampa Bay.

Pryor would provide depth to the Bucs' slim roster behind Freeman and could greatly benefit learning from a proven QB with a similar style. Pryor also brings with him two BCS MVP's and a talent not often seen in the NFL's supplement draft. He could be signed to a relatively small contract because of his late entry and lack of proven NFL readiness.

Since the Bucs clearly have their franchise quarterback in place, they could later deal Pryor to another team in need of a starter for a draft pick or another player.

Though Pryor's collegiate problems have been well-documented and publicized over the past few weeks, the Buccaneers have clearly shown no fear of signing players with "attitude problems."

The Buccaneers drafted WR Mike Williams in the fourth round of the 2010 NFL Draft after Williams had been suspended for academic reasons at Syracuse, then walked away from the team for the majority of his senior season.

Everyone remembers LeGarrette Blount's infamous punch after a loss to Boise State, then again to a fellow teammate at Titans camp. The Buccaneers still raced to sign Blount after he was released.

In both cases, these two players are now strongly considered steals by the team, and no subsequent character issues have come up. Buccaneers GM Mark Dominik has already established his reputation to "steal players" as he did with Williams, Blount and Dezmon Briscoe.

Pryor could easily fall into the same category, should Dominik decide to make this move.