Getty Bill Belichick could target Jarvis Landry in free agency.
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick needs to add another wide receiver, and five-time Pro Bowler Jarvis Landry could fill that need.
Bleacher Report’s David Kenyon sees Landry as the free agent who could make a difference for the Patriots in 2023. New England previously lost leading receiver Jakobi Meyers in free agency.
“After signing JuJu Smith-Schuster, the Patriots have a go-to target. However, they might not be comfortable with a rotation of DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne and Tyquan Thornton,” Kenyon wrote. “Jarvis Landry has injury concerns after missing 13 games in the last two seasons, but he’s the best receiver available. Landry caught 25 passes in nine outings last year.”
While Landry, 30, appears to be at the tail end of his career, he still averages more than 10 yards per reception. His last 1,000-yard season came in 2019, but he tallied 840 yards in 2020 and 570 yards in 2021 — all with the Cleveland Browns. He spent the 2022 season with the New Orleans Saints amid injuries.
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Landry had a one-year, $3 million deal with the Saints, and he wouldn’t cost the Patriots too much in free agency. The Patriots have $12.39 million in salary cap space according to Over The Cap to work with.
How Jarvis Landry Could Fit in With Patriots
New England could use another receiver who can consistently move the chains. Smith-Schuster averaged 12 yards per catch last season for the Kansas City Chiefs, and Patriots have three returning receivers with more than 12 yards per catch amid 30 or more receptions.
Landry would join an experienced receiver room with Smith-Schuster, Parker, and Bourne as the potential starters. Both Bourne and Parker caught more than 30 passes for 430-plus yards last season, but they combined for four touchdowns. Landry could give the Patriots another touchdown threat as he had five touchdowns in his final two seasons with the Browns.
Joining New England would allot Landry and upgrade at quarterback after catching passes from Andy Dalton and Jameis Winston last season in New Orleans. Patriots quarterbacks Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe look poised for a potential training camp battle, pending any moves by the team before then.
Don’t cover Jarvis Landry with linebackers
Adding Landry would give the Patriots another veteran in the receiver room. He also would give the team a versatile slot receiver who can make plays in short, intermediate, and deep routes plus yards after the catch. He averaged 5.3 yards after the catch in 2021 before his injury-riddled 2022 season.
While the Saints hardly utilized Landry as a returner, he can return both kicks and punts. He excelled at punt returning early in his career with the Miami Dolphins, but the Browns used him in that role a few times in 201 when he averaged 10.6 yards per return.
Jarvis Landry Started Strong
Miami drafted Landry in the 2014 NFL draft with a second-round pick. Landry had a stellar college career at LSU with 137 receptions for 1,809 yards and 15 touchdowns in 40 games with the Tigers over three seasons.
He produced right away with the Dolphins amid three Pro Bowl appearances in his first four seasons. The Dolphins traded Landry to the Browns in 2018, he continued his dynamic play amid another two Pro Bowl appearances.
Overall, Landry has 713 receptions for 7,870 yards and 38 touchdowns for his NFL career. Landry has three games of playoff experience amid his three stops with 23 receptions for 214 yards and 2 touchdowns.
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Patriots Linked to 5-Time Pro Bowl WR in Free Agency