Getty Jarvis Landry #80 of the Cleveland Browns plays against the Detroit Lions at FirstEnergy Stadium on November 21, 2021.
The Cleveland Browns and former wide receiver Jarvis Landry have expressed mutual interest in a reunion, assuming another AFC North team doesn’t scoop him up first.
The Browns traded with the Dallas Cowboys for WR Amari Cooper on March 12, after which Landry promptly sought, and received, permission to seek a trade. Two days later, Cleveland released the wide receiver with one year left on his contract in order to save approximately $15 million toward the salary cap.
Nearly two months later, Landry has yet to find a landing spot. The Browns still need a second wide receiver alongside Cooper, but the team did draft David Bell out of Purdue University with the No. 99 pick in the third round of last weekend’s NFL Draft. If Landry’s former role is what the team has envisioned for Bell at a substantially lower price, then a return to Cleveland may no longer be in the cards.
However, Michelle Burton of Bleacher Report noted that the Baltimore Ravens may soon find themselves in the Landry business after trading Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals last Thursday.
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Landry Coming Off Career-Worst Year Marred By Injury Troubles
Getty ImagesWide receiver Jarvis Landry, formerly of the Cleveland Browns, has been linked to the Baltimore Ravens in free agency.
Landry, now 29 years old, had a down year in 2021, posting career lows of 52 catches for 570 receiving yards and just two touchdowns, per Pro Football Reference. However, he also dealt with a serious knee injury for much of the season.
The eight-year NFL veteran and five-time Pro Bowl selection certainly still has something to give an NFL team. The issue with a return to Cleveland is at least partially connected to price, as Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported in March that Landry’s camp was looking for a contract in the range of $20 million per season.
While that price appears too high of a premium for any NFL team to pay considering Landry’s production last season, the Ravens may seriously consider Landry at an annual salary well into the eight-figures — especially because the best wide receivers currently on their roster are all names most casual football fans would fail to recognize.
Landry Would Step Into Ravens Organization as Potentially Top WR Option
GettyQuarterback Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens throws the ball during warmups before a game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
Burton laid out her argument for Landry landing in Baltimore in a piece published Sunday, May 1.
If the Ravens plan to add more weapons to appease [quarterback Lamar] Jackson, whose top wide receivers now are 2021 first-round pick Rashod Bateman, Devin Duvernay and James Proche II, they didn’t do it during the rest of the draft. Baltimore had six selections in Round 4 but didn’t use any of them on a wideout.
Among the free agents, if we assume Odell Beckham Jr. will re-sign with the Los Angeles Rams … Landry becomes the next big name.
The Ravens don’t have a ton of cap space to work with, but no one will meet the top end of Landry’s demands. If Baltimore can work some cap magic, Landry and his team should recognize it’s a good situation.