Jarvis Landry - Pro Football Rumors

Saints To Meet With WR Jarvis Landry

April 19th, 2022 at 5:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

A month into free agency, Jarvis Landry remains without a team. That could change soon. The Saints are bringing in the Pro Bowl wideout for a visit Wednesday, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com tweets.

The Saints were connected to Landry early in free agency, but the five-time Pro Bowler soon visited the Falcons and has been continually mentioned as a candidate to return to the Browns. A Cleveland return remains in play, per Fowler. But Landry will huddle up with the Saints first. An LSU alum, Landry is a New Orleans-area native.

Having cut Emmanuel Sanders and having seen Michael Thomas‘ injury timetable pushed back to the point he missed the entire season, New Orleans featured perhaps the NFL’s worst receiving corps last season. Thomas is back in play for the Saints, who will feature a new play-caller for the first time in 16 years. Pete Carmichael’s offense could certainly use additional help at receiver, given Thomas’ issues staying healthy over the past two seasons.

New Orleans acquired a second first-round pick from Philadelphia, parting with its 2023 first-rounder to do so. A wide receiver addition would make sense for the Saints there. A Landry move before the draft, however, may change the organization’s plans. The Saints still have Marquez Callaway rostered, and they re-signed Tre’Quan Smith this offseason.

Landry, 29, spoke with Deshaun Watson about teaming up in Atlanta — before the Browns’ landscape-changing guarantee gave the Browns the win in those unusual sweepstakes — and the quarterback’s presence in Cleveland figures to matter. The Saints appear set to test the Browns’ interest level. Cleveland has a new No. 1 receiver in Amari Cooper, having cut Landry shortly after that acquisition was reported. Landry is coming off his worst season as a pro — a 570-yard, two-touchdown campaign — though Baker Mayfield‘s injuries limited the Browns’ passing attack. In Mayfield’s more successful 2020 season, Landry caught 72 passes for 840 yards. He has three 1,000-yard seasons on his resume.

Latest On Free Agent WR Jarvis Landry

April 14th, 2022 at 7:30pm CST by Ben Levine

Jarvis Landry is still unsigned, and the veteran receiver may remain a free agent through the end of the month. According to USA Today’s Tyler Dragon, Landry could wait until “dust from the NFL Draft settles” before making a decision on his future.

Landry has been connected to a number of teams since he was released by the Browns last month. Dragon confirms that there are “multiple” teams still interested in adding the wide receiver, and Dragon also reiterates a previous report that Landry could even land back in Cleveland. Besides a Browns reunion, the Chiefs, Saints, and Falcons have been mentioned as suitors for the 29-year-old.

Once Landry joins a new squad, it will be interesting to see how much he’s adjusted his worth since hitting free agency. A report from last month indicated that the veteran was seeking a contract that would pay him at least $20MM per year. His previous contract with Cleveland featured an AAV of just over $15MM, but the expectation is that his next deal will not hit even that yearly average, let alone a $20MM/year rate.

Landry, 30 in November, agreed to a five-year, $75.5MM extension with the Browns after they traded for him in 2018. He delivered two Pro Bowl seasons in Cleveland and served as Baker Mayfield‘s most consistent target. However, the veteran averaged just 47.5 receiving yards per game last season and missed five weeks of action.

Free Agent WR Jarvis Landry Seeking $20MM AAV?

March 27th, 2022 at 8:11am CST by Rory Parks

Wide receiver Jarvis Landry remains a free agent after being released by the Browns nearly two weeks ago, and he is apparently unhappy with how his stint on the open market is developing. Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Landry, who had been represented by Damarius Bilbo of Klutch Sports, has switched agencies and is now represented by Roosevelt Barnes and Jovan Barnes.

Florio also reports that Landry was hoping to land a contract with an average annual value “in the range of” $20MM per season. If his new agents are able to secure such a deal, especially at this point in the league year, they can probably expect quite a boost to their portfolio of clients in the near future.

Landry, 29, is a five-time Pro Bowler who would likely provide a jolt to most any receiving corps, but he is also coming off a 2021 campaign in which he missed five games and posted a career-low 570 receiving yards (though, in fairness, at least some of that production can be attributed to a Browns passing game that was limited by quarterback Baker Mayfield‘s shoulder injury). His contract with Cleveland featured an AAV of just over $15MM, but the expectation is that his next deal will not hit even that yearly average, let alone a $20MM/year rate.

Indeed, several of Landry’s previously-reported suitors may no longer be interested in his services. The Falcons brought him in for a visit, but that was when the club was still in the thick of the Deshaun Watson race, and Watson and Atlanta were contemplating ways to upgrade the QB’s would-be receiving corps. The Chiefs were also said to be interested in Landry in the immediate aftermath of his Cleveland release, but Kansas City has since acquired fellow slot man JuJu Smith-Schuster and has replaced Tyreek Hill with Marquez Valdes-Scantling.

Landry could, of course, still end up catching passes from Watson in 2022. The Browns were the surprise winner of the Watson sweepstakes, and even after they landed the embattled passer and furnished him with a historic contract, they were said to be open to a reunion with Landry. The Saints, who joined the Chiefs in the hunt for Landry once he became a free agent, have not done anything to upgrade their stable of wideouts this offseason, so they could theoretically still be in play.

If the LSU product really is shooting for a contract worth around $20MM per year, however, he might not be signing for a while.

NFC South Notes: Falcons, Suh, Panthers

March 23rd, 2022 at 9:20pm CST by Sam Robinson

Prior to the Browns coming in with their stunning offer, Deshaun Watson was speaking with veteran free agents about teaming up with the Falcons. Watson spoke with Leonard Fournette and Jarvis Landry about playing with him in Atlanta, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes (ESPN+ link). By the evening of March 17, the Falcons believed they had won the Watson sweepstakes, Fowler adds, and the quarterback was attempting to upgrade the team’s pass-catching corps. Cleveland’s fully guaranteed $230MM proposal changed everything, and Landry is now a possibility to return to the Browns. The eight-year veteran wide receiver visited the Falcons previously, but the team’s outlook has changed considerably since. Fournette re-signed with the Bucs this week.

Watson is a Brown, and Matt Ryan is now a Colt, leaving the Falcons with a record dead-money total and a rebuild to orchestrate. “We’re taking it on the chin this year,” Falcons GM Terry Fontenot said of the $40MM Ryan cap hit (via ESPN’s Michael Rothstein, on Twitter), but noted that the outlook will brighten in 2023. Here is the latest from the NFC South:

Despite the Buccaneers bringing back William Gholston, Ndamukong Suh is likely still on the team’s radar. Suh has discussed a Tampa return with Bucs coaches, Fowler adds, viewing another year with the team as a good way to strengthen his Hall of Fame resume. The All-Decade defensive tackle has played with the Bucs for the past three seasons. Suh re-signed with Tampa Bay on March 24, 2021, and played for $9MM last season. The Bucs now have Vita Vea signed to a more lucrative deal, but the team is likely amenable to keeping Suh around, as it has continued to re-sign key vets.
Logan Ryan spent the bulk of his pre-New York days as a cornerback, but Jason Licht said (via The Athletic’s Greg Auman, on Twitter) he will play safety for the Bucs. Licht said the Bucs pursued Ryan during his lengthy free agency bid in 2020; the Giants signed him late that summer and extended him before the 2020 season ended. Ryan became a Giants cap casualty earlier this month and will join a Bucs team that lost starting safety Jordan Whitehead to the Jets.
The Panthers have struggled for years to lock down their left tackle position. They are still pursuing an answer here, per Fowler, who adds Carolina looked into Trent Brown‘s market. It does not appear Carolina wants to spent too much at the O-line’s most expensive position, with Fowler also noting the team viewed $10-$12MM per year as too rich for Brown, who re-signed with the Patriots for a deal that did not hit that price range. Brown’s deal is worth $6.5MM a year (base value). Panthers target Duane Brown remains on the market.
The Falcons hosted former Bengals, Bills and Jets tight end Tyler Kroft on a visit recently, Field Yates of ESPN.com tweets. Not known for his receiving prowess, Kroft has topped 200 receiving yards in just one of his seven seasons. The Falcons lost Kyle Pitts complement Hayden Hurst to the Bengals last week.
Former QB T.J. Yates will shift from Falcons passing-game specialist to their wide receivers coach, while Mario Jeberaeel is the team’s new assistant offensive line coach. Formerly an Abilene Christian assistant, Jeberaeel joined the Falcons as an intern in 2021. Former Bengals cornerbacks coach Steve Jackson will join the Falcons and make an interesting transition, signing on as a senior offensive assistant. An ex-NFL cornerback, Jackson has coached in the NFL for 21 years but has done so consistently on the defensive side.

Browns Restructure Amari Cooper’s Contract; Jarvis Landry, Jadeveon Clowney Returns In Play

March 19th, 2022 at 4:53pm CST by Sam Robinson

Despite authorizing a Deshaun Watson contract with guarantees well beyond uncharted NFL territory, the Browns still carry some of the most cap space in the league. They are prepared to use the additional funds to bring back familiar faces.

The Browns restructured Amari Cooper‘s contract Saturday, moving the bulk of his $20MM base salary into a signing bonus, Tom Pelissero of NFL.com tweets. This created $15MM in cap space for Cleveland, which sits second in the NFL with more than $36MM in available funds. This opens the door to both Jarvis Landry and Jadeveon Clowney coming back, Mary Kay Cabot of cleveland.com notes.

Cleveland “would love” to bring back both players, Cabot adds, despite having cut Landry earlier this week. Having Landry back would give Watson an accomplished No. 2 receiver, with Cooper set to play the WR1 role for his third NFL team. Clowney said earlier this month he was planning to be patient, but Cabot adds the Browns have been in discussions with both he and Landry about coming back.

Cooper’s restructure balloons his 2023 and ’24 cap figures north of $23MM, and while Watson’s $230MM fully guaranteed resides in another stratosphere compared to the rest of the league, he is only set to count $10MM against Cleveland’s cap this year, Pelissero adds (on Twitter). By reducing Watson’s salary in 2022, the embattled quarterback stands to lose less money if/when he is suspended. While the Browns have been heavily criticized for the Watson addition and contract extension, they are preparing to be a Super Bowl contender. That status will naturally be a draw for veterans.

Clowney, 29, has famously never landed a long-term contract as a veteran, going from a 2018 fifth-year option to a 2019 franchise tag to one-year deals with the Titans and Browns in the following years. Playing opposite Myles Garrett, Clowney registered nine sacks last season. He played with Watson for two seasons in Houston.

Landry’s five-year Pro Bowl streak stopped after the 2019 season, and he finished with a career-low 570 receiving yards. But Baker Mayfield‘s shoulder injury limited the Browns’ passing game. When Watson is available in 2022, the Browns should feature superior aerial capabilities. Landry, 29, is not a lock to come back, however. The Falcons have him on their radar, joining other teams in that regard. The Chiefs’ JuJu Smith-Schuster signing may take them out of the Landry running, though.

Jarvis Landry To Visit Falcons

March 16th, 2022 at 4:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

After Tom Brady‘s successful recruiting job led Russell Gage to Tampa, Atlanta is short on wide receivers. The Falcons will meet with a Pro Bowl target soon, with Dianna Russini reporting Jarvis Landry will visit (Twitter link).

News of Landry’s visit comes on the same day of the Falcons’ Deshaun Watson meeting. Watson is believed to have requested the meeting, pointing to the Falcons at least being in this race. Given Matt Ryan‘s status, they are a surprise contender. Regardless of who plays quarterback, the team has extensive work to do at receiver.

Over the past year, the Falcons have seen their Gage-Julio Jones–Calvin Ridley trio dismantled. (Though, Jones is available, albeit after a rough Titans season.) Multipurpose playmaker Cordarrelle Patterson is also unsigned. The Falcons tendered RFA Olamide Zaccheaus but otherwise do not roster much at this position.

The Browns, who join the Falcons in attempting to acquire the Texans’ highly paid passer, released Landry after being unable to find a trade partner. Landry spent four years in Cleveland. While his best statistical work came in Miami, the former second-round pick added to his Pro Bowl count with the Browns. He played a major role in Cleveland snapping its near-two-decade playoff drought in 2020.

Landry, 29, is now a five-time Pro Bowler. However, last season’s 52-catch, 570-yard represented a new low point for the LSU product. He will aim to bounce back in 2022.

Chiefs, Saints Showing Most Interest In WR Jarvis Landry

March 14th, 2022 at 7:26pm CST by Ben Levine

Jarvis Landry earned his walking papers from the Browns earlier today, and the veteran wideout is already generating interest. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the Chiefs and the Saints are the two teams that have shown the most interest in Landry.

Despite a high-flying offense that’s led by receiving threats Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, the Chiefs have been mentioned as a suitor for wideouts this offseason. The team was previously connected to Mike Williams before he re-signed with the Chargers. Now, they’re eyeing a veteran slot receiver. Both Byron Pringle and Demarcus Robinson are free agents, so the Chiefs could easily slide Landry into their depth chart.

The Saints are currently in the mix for Deshaun Watson, but no matter who is under center, they’re looking to provide their future QB with another talented target outside of Michael Thomas and running back Alvin Kamara. Tre’Quan Smith and Ty Montgomery are both set to hit free agency for New Orleans.

Landry, 30 in November, agreed to a five-year, $75.5MM extension with the Browns after they traded for him in 2018. He delivered two Pro Bowl seasons in Cleveland and served as Baker Mayfield‘s most consistent target. However, the veteran averaged just 47.5 receiving yards per game last season and missed five weeks of action.

Browns Release Jarvis Landry

March 14th, 2022 at 11:26am CST by Zachary Links

The Browns have released Jarvis Landry (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport). The wide receiver had been given permission to seek a trade, but that did not result in a suitable offer for Cleveland.

The Browns have already remodeled their wide receiver group by trading for Amari Cooper. By cutting Landry, they’ll gain the cap room they needed to get under the limit and escape Landry’s $14.3MM base salary for 2022. Previously, the Pro Bowler had just one year left on that contract.

The Browns were reportedly willing to keep Landry at a lower rate and there was some mutual interest on that front. However, after the arrival of Cooper, there was no real avenue to Landry staying put.

Landry, 30 in November, agreed to a five-year, $75.5MM extension with the Browns after they traded for him in 2018. He delivered two Pro Bowl seasons in Cleveland and served as Baker Mayfield‘s most consistent target. Things have been up-and-down during that span, but the Browns got a much better return on the Landry trade than the Odell Beckham Jr. deal.

Landry, a five-time Pro Bowler, should have no shortage of suitors on the open market. However, he’ll have to settle for a cheaper contract than his last one. Landry averaged just 47.5 receiving yards per game last season and missed five weeks of action.

The Bills, Chiefs, and Packers are expected to be among the clubs with interest, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo (Twitter link).

Browns Give Jarvis Landry Permission To Seek Trade

March 12th, 2022 at 2:08pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Browns appear set to roster just one lucrative wide receiver contract obtained via trade. After agreeing to acquire Amari Cooper, the Browns have given Jarvis Landry permission to seek a trade, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.

Landry loomed as a departure candidate before Cooper’s arrival, and the Browns are currently $3MM-plus over the cap. Landry, with the Browns since 2018, is due a $14.3MM base salary in 2022. The Pro Bowl receiver’s contract expires after this coming season.

It is not a lock Landry departs, with Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer noting the team would take Landry back at a different price. This points to a pay-cut request, though it is uncertain how much of a trim the team is seeking. The longtime Browns pass catcher is also open to staying in Cleveland, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com tweets. The sides had been discussing a reworked deal, per NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport, but this process has progressed further post-Cooper (Twitter link).

Cleveland is unlikely to collect much — if anything — for Landry in a trade, but the team would save more than $14MM by either trading or cutting the eight-year veteran. Landry, 29, agreed to a five-year, $75.5MM extension with the Browns after they traded for him in 2018. He delivered two Pro Bowl seasons in Cleveland and has been Baker Mayfield‘s most consistent target, despite the team giving up far more to acquire Odell Beckham Jr. in 2019. Cooper is now set to fill the role of Mayfield’s (or a to-be-determined replacement’s) No. 1 target.

A former Dolphins second-round pick, Landry is a five-time Pro Bowler. But he averaged just 47.5 receiving yards per game last season, missing five contests during a disappointing Browns season. Landry also did not exceed 1,000 yards in 2020, despite Beckham’s midseason injury. His value has certainly plummeted, pointing to a free agency trip soon.

Latest On Browns’ Jarvis Landry

February 22nd, 2022 at 8:57am CST by Adam La Rose

Amidst speculation that the Browns could move on from wideout Jarvis Landry, the veteran made his stance on the matter clear on Tuesday. In a trio of tweets, he updated his injury status, while publicly stating his intention of remaining with Cleveland.

“I came back to play in the best shape of my life”, Landry wrote. However, he suffered an MCL sprain in Week 2, which landed him on IR. He then “came back way too early and ended up staying hurt the entire season”. That injury, amongst others, limited the 29-year-old to 12 games in 2021. He recorded career-lows in catches (52), yards (570) and touchdowns (two) in what was a disappointing campaign for the Browns’ offense as a whole.

After the team was eliminated from playoff contention in January, questions arose regarding what the team would do to handle the five-time Pro Bowler’s contract, which has one year left on it. His 2022 cap hit is scheduled to be roughly $16.4MM, so a restructure could be a viable option. However, the Browns would only be saddled with $1.5MM of dead money if they cut Landry, who might welcome a fresh start after a down season and the messy departure of his close friend Odell Beckham Jr.

Landry further explained that his injuries were the reason for him missing media availability, which was another cause of speculation his days in Cleveland were numbered. However, Landry states that “I have put the ball in [the Browns’] court by telling them I would like to stay”. His presence would certainly help a WR corps which is lacking established production, although the team could try to start fresh at the position this offseason.

In that case, according to Landry, “I’m confident enough in myself to be a better healthy me this year and moving forward to helping do my part in winning a championship elsewhere”. What the team ultimately decides with him will certainly be one of the more intriguing storylines in Cleveland in the coming weeks.