Getty Images Former Browns receivers Odell Beckham and Jarvis Landry.
Former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Jarvis Landry is set to meet with the New Orleans Saints on Wednesday as he continues to look for a new home in free agency.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler first reported Landry’s meeting with the Saints.
The visit with the Saints is the second of Landry’s free agency, with the five-time Pro Bowler having visited with the Falcons shortly after being released by the Browns in March. That meeting took place when Atlanta was still in the running for quarterback Deshaun Watson, who eventually ended up in Cleveland after a change of heart.
The Saints would be an interesting landing spot for Landry, who would play alongside Marquez Callaway, Tre’Quan Smith and Lil’Jordan Humphrey. The Saints are also expected to get back 2019 Offensive Player of the Year and two-time All-Pro Michael Thomas, who missed all of last year with an ankle injury.
Jameis Winston is expected to be back as the Saints QB after suffering a torn ACL last season. The former top pick completed 95-of-161 passes for 1,170 yards, 14 touchdowns, three interceptions and notched a 102.8 passer rating. New Orleans went 5-2 in games he started.
While Landry might not be the perennial 1,000-yard threat he once was, he’s still a strong option out of the slot and can be a strong top-two option for a good team. Landry played his college ball at LSU and is from Louisiana.
Jarvis Landry Coming Off Rough Year With Browns
Not much went right for the Browns last season and that started with player health. Landry was one of the big missing pieces for Cleveland as they tried to steer their season on track. However, he missed five games and might have come back too early in an effort to help his squad.
Landry played every game of his career through his first six seasons and has been able to stay healthy. He wanted to shoot down any kind of narrative that his health was going downhill, especially considering he’s just 29.
“Reality behind all this is I came back to play in the best shape of my life, I got hurt week 2 with a high grade MCL Sprain, partial quad tear and bone bruise,” Landry tweeted prior to his release in March. “Then came back way to early and ended up staying hurt the entire season. You never heard me mention anything about it.”
1/2 Reality behind all this is I came back to play in the best shape of my life, I got hurt week 2 with a high grade MCL Sprain,Partial quad tear and bone bruise. Then came back way to early and ended up staying hurt the entire season. You never heard me mention anything about it
Browns, Landry Open to Reunion
The Browns and Landry left things on good terms, with general manager Andrew Berry giving the veteran pass-catcher major props for what he provided to the team both on and off the field.
“The trade for Jarvis Landry in 2018 was a key moment for our organization,” Berry said in a statement following the transaction. “Jarvis’ on-field production and fiery competitiveness speaks for itself, but his leadership and team-oriented attitude impacted our culture in a way that will last in time even beyond his release. These decisions are always difficult, but we wish Jarvis well and we look forward to the day when he returns as a storied Browns alumnus.”
Landry’s fired his agent earlier this offseason and is now represented by Roosevelt Barnes and Jovan Barnes of ISE Worldwide. Roosevelt Barnes told Cleveland.com that Landry would be open to returning to the Browns.
“That’s his home and he loves it there,” Barnes told Browns insider Mary Kay Cabot. “There’s mutual interest in him being back there, but Jarvis also has interest from some other teams as well.”
Landry is one of the top remaining free agents on the market and will likely take some time to weigh his decision. However, he’ll likely want to ink a deal before the draft, when wide receiver needy teams will add some pieces.