Ex-Browns player Brian Hartline goes off on Terrelle Pryor, says he shouldn’t be re-signed

Published Dec. 21, 2016 5:29 p.m. ET

Rob Perez

Ever since the Browns and Bengals squared off two games ago, Terrelle Pryor's name has been in the news for various reasons -- the main one being Bengals defensive back Adam "Pacman" Jones calling the Cleveland receiver garbage.

On Wednesday, Pryor took another verbal beatdown-- this time from former Ohio State and Cleveland Browns teammate Brian Hartline. Hartline may not be playing in the NFL anymore, but he had some serious things to say to the Akron Beacon Journal's Nate Ulrich about Pryor, challenging his status as a No. 1 receiving option in addition to Pryor's integrity:

"If I’m building a team, what is [Pryor]? ... Is he my No. 1? God, I hope not because let’s put it this way: For me, I want a guy day in and day out I know what I’m getting. You don’t know what you’re going to get. You don’t know who’s going to show up. You don’t know if he’s going to get in trouble. You don’t know if he’s going to smart off. I need stability. That’s so more important to me. I need a guy that runs routes. I need stability. I need constant production. Is he a No. 2? OK, yeah. I mean maybe. He kind of disappeared the last couple weeks.

"So I’m very apprehensive as a Cleveland Browns guy to give out a contract. Listen, you had one year. You’re a flash in the pan. You’re trying to tell me with a guy that had suspect personality characteristics, I’m going to go ahead and hand you a bunch of money but you’re going to work harder? Uh, I think I’m going to bet against that if I’m a betting man."

"You guys know I have a tremendous amount of confidence in Terrelle. I think he is only going to get better as he moves forward. Terrelle is like most guys. He wants it all. He wants to be the best at what he does. He understands there are growing pains in anything. You have to work through those times when they do not go as well.

"Terrelle would like to catch 10 balls every game, but it does not work like that in this league. [Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver] Antonio Brown does not catch 10 balls every game right now. It is just the way it is. When your number is called, you have to make those plays, and he will make them. He will continue to grow. His best football is ahead of him. He just has to keep his head down and keep grinding and keep pushing through.”