Getty Cleveland Browns stars Jarvis Landry and Baker Mayfield.
Last season did not go as planned for the Cleveland Browns, who stumbled to a 6-10 record under first-year head coach Freddie Kitchens and finished as one of the most disappointing teams in the NFL after an offseason filled with expectations.
Kitchens was fired after the disappointing campaign and the team also parted ways with general manager John Dorsey. But despite the changes, many key pieces are returning that generated the hype prior to last season, including names like Jarvis Landry, Nick Chubb, Odell Beckham Jr. and Baker Mayfield.
Landry and Chubb were the two Browns skill position players to make the Pro Bowl and were joined by offensive lineman Joel Bitonio in Orlando.
Before dominating the Pro Bowl Skills Challenge, Landry was asked about the Browns disappointing season and what he’s looking forward to as his squad looks to take the next step under new head coach Kevin Stefanski.
JUICE!
What a dodgeball performance for @God_Son80 and he helps bring home the #ProBowlSkills 🏆
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“It’s disappointing when you’re not playing in next week’s game,” Landry said, via SiriusXM NFL Radio. “But it’s a lot to build off, a lot to grow from, and I’m excited about the challenge really.
#Browns WR Jarvis Landry (@God_Son80) joined us down at the Pro Bowl and explained why he has faith in QB Baker Mayfield in Cleveland…
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“With a season and with a team there’s a lot of things that go into it. It’s not a one-man’s game, and it’s going to take everyone. We didn’t always compliment each other — offense, defense and special teams. In this league, some weeks that gets you beat, some weeks you still win. We saw that.”
Jarvis Landry Maintains High Level of Play With Browns
The selection was Landry’s fifth of his career as he recorded a career-high 1,174 yards to go with six touchdowns on 83 catches. He led the Browns in every major receiving category despite being hampered by injuries for most of the season.
“I mean, just making plays when it came to me. Doing my job really,” Landry said when asked how he managed to maintain his high-level of play despite the team’s struggles. “To the highest ability and again, making plays, you know what I mean? There’s no really other way around it.”
Landry: Baker Mayfield Will Come Back ‘Ready to Take us to the Super Bowl’
GettyBrowns QB Baker Mayfield.
A year after setting the rookie touchdown record, Mayfield struggled to play consistently behind a patchwork offensive line. He finished his season season with 3,827 yards, 22 touchdowns and 21 interceptions, closing out the year ranked next-to-last in both passer rating (78.8) and completion percentage (59.4%) despite having both Beckham and Landry at his disposal.
“It was a different year for me,” Mayfield told reporters after the Browns loss to the Bengals that closed out the year. “Definitely didn’t have it all figured out. A lot of learning lessons, life lessons for me. I’m going to come back a different animal come spring time.”
Landry is optimistic that Mayfield will be able to turn it around in Year 3 and make the Browns a Super Bowl contender.
“He’s ready. I know he’s the guy that’s going to continue to get better,” Landry said. “He’s going to look at himself, look at the things that did well, other things that he didn’t do well and evaluate himself and come back next season ready to take us to the Super Bowl. Because everything starts with him.”
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