Raiders coach Dennis Allen set up a potential showdown between Terrelle Pryor and Carson Palmer for the starting quarterback job. (Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images)

Oakland Raiders head coach Dennis Allen pledged that the team would have competition heading into next season at the quarterback position, setting up a potential showdown between veteran Carson Palmer and the younger Terrelle Pryor.

Here’s what Allen told the NFL Network on Thursday, according to The San Francisco Chronicle:

“We’re going to have some competition at that position. Carson Palmer did an outstanding job for us last year. We feel really good about Carson at the quarterback position moving forward, and obviously we want to create competition at all levels of our team; offensively, defensively, in the kicking game. The more competition that you can create, the better your football team is going to be. We’re going to look at that as we’re moving forward, but I feel good about Carson. Terrelle did some nice things in the final game of the season last year, so it’ll be interesting to see how he does as we move forward.”

Pryor, 23, started the Raiders’ last game of the 2012 season. He helped account for all three touchdowns in the team’s 24-21 loss to the San Diego Chargers, rushing for one and throwing for two.

The Raiders acquired Palmer from the Bengals for first- and second-round draft picks during the 2011 season. Palmer, 33, threw for more than 4,000 yards last season and put up 22 touchdowns to only 14 interceptions.

Raiders will start Terrelle Pryor at quarterback for the season finale. (Otto Greule Jr./Getty Images)

The Oakland Raiders will start quarterback Terrelle Pryor for the team’s season finale against the San Diego Chargers, Raiders head coach Dennis Allen announced Friday.

Pryor gets the start over backup Matt Leinart who struggled in the team’s 17-6 loss to the Carolina Panthers last Sunday. Leinart completed 16-of-32 passes for 115 yards and one interception in that game.  Leinart and Pryor split the reps in practice this week after starter Carson Palmer was ruled out for the season with cracked ribs and a bruised lung. Palmer had started the team’s previous 24 games.

“I don’t think you’re going to be the same with either quarterback as you would with Carson because Carson’s been getting all the reps and he has the full command of the offense,” Allen said this week. “So yeah, I would think we’d be scaled back a little bit with either one of those quarterbacks that would play.”

Pryor, a third-round pick in the 2011 supplemental draft, has only attempted two passes this season, completing one and has one rushing attempt for two yards. He had been running the scout team for most of the season.

Head Coach Dennis Allen names @TerrellePryor starting QB for Sunday.—
OAKLAND RAIDERS (@RAIDERS) December 28, 2012

Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor said he believes he can be great. Pryor is currently the team’s third-string quarterback. (Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Oakland Raiders quarterback Terrelle Pryor is still trying to make a mark in the NFL after being taken last season in third round of the NFL supplemental draft.

Pryor still believes that his Ohio State experience, in which he was suspended and eventually dismissed from the program for taking extra benefits, slowed his learning curve.

“The suspension really screwed me,” Pryor said, via the Bay Area News Group. “The way I came out of college and my mistakes screwed me. But right now, I’m in a good place because I’m learning from the best and I’m only going to get better, a lot better.”

Pryor is currently slotted as the third-string quarterback.

“If I can just keep on figuring out this progression thing and having my internal clock running with my feet, I can be good. I can be great,” Pryor said.