Calvin Pryor and the New York Jets were headed towards a divorce for some time now. Trade rumors circulated around the 2017 NFL Draft, suggesting the safety could be on the move. He wasn't moved during the draft, but the team did select two safeties in the first two rounds, further solidifying his status - or lack thereof - with the team. A deal was finally struck on Thursday morning, however, which will send Pryor to the Cleveland Browns to revive his career.
New York Jets swing a trade
The Jets dealt Pryor to the Browns in a rare one-for-one player trade.
In exchange, the team reacquired linebacker Demario Davis, a former draft pick of the team. General manager Mike Maccagnan released a statement after the deal was finalized, thanking Pryor for his time in the organization and wishing him luck going forward, while himself looking forward to Davis' return to the team.
In Davis, the Jets are simply looking at another linebacker who can compete for a role in the defense. He was a three-year starter for the team before they decided to go another way following the 2015 season. In 2016, he recorded 99 tackles and two sacks with the Browns. The 28-year old may not have a major role with the defense, but he should have an opportunity to make the team and serve as a veteran presence in a reserve role.
Pryor looks for a reboot
Pryor's struggles in pass coverage helped him get the boot from the Jets. At the beginning of the offseason, the team declined his fifth-year option. Then, during OTAs, he was working with the backups, a relegation he didn't take too kindly to as a fierce competitor. He recorded just two interceptions during the first three years of his career, registering 214 tackles, 14 defended passes and two forced fumbles.
New York will try to replace his production with a combination of first-round draft pick Jamal Adams and second-round draft pick Marcus Maye.
In Cleveland, the safety will look to shed the defensive demons that derailed his time with the Jets. The Browns' current starters at the safety positions are Ibraheim Campbell and Ed Reynolds II, neither of whom inspire much confidence in the defensive backfield for the team.
Therefore, Pryor should have every opportunity to compete for a starting job with the team. If he can show the promise that earned him a first-round draft pick out of Louisville in 2014, Cleveland will have committed a steal on the trade market.
