A lot of the Cleveland Browns’ success this season and into the future is going to be predicated upon Baker Mayfield’s ability to throw the ball around, and to that end the front office has endeavored to provide him with some quality targets, which has seen them, over the course of the past two offseasons, acquire Pro Bowl wide receiver at or near the height of their careers.
While the new headline is All-Pro wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr., who was had earlier this year for first- and third-round picks and a starting safety, the Browns already introduced former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry into the mix in 2018.
He only had a fairly average season, catching 81 passes for 976 yards and four touchdowns, but a lot of that obviously had to do with starting the season working with Tyrod Taylor, and then adjusting to a new rookie on the fly when he was replaced.
This season is supposed to be different. Everybody knows who will be contributing, where, when, and how, but part of making it all work is getting on the field at the same time, and that hasn’t really happened. Beckham skipped OTAs, for example, though did show up for minicamp.
As for Landry, he had been sidelined up to now throughout the offseason with an injury of some kind that the team never disclosed (they are under no obligation to do so at this time of year). However, the sixth-year veteran recently posted images of himself and some other teammates out in California working with Mayfield, so he is at least back to doing some on-field work, even during the down time ahead of training camp.
That should be an encouraging sign for Browns fans to indicate that they should expect both of their top wide receivers to be at full health when training camp opens in about three weeks. That on-field work is important; it’s worth noting that Mayfield struggled to adjust to Beckham when minicamp first started since he’d never worked with him before.
Remember, they’re not just adjusting to each other, either. They are also installing a new offense that is actually still in the process of being assembled, because the team’s coaching staff has pretty much been entirely reconstructed from last season, and they are trying to create a synthesis from multiple philosophies being brought in by different coaches.
In his four seasons in Miami, Landry averaged 100 receptions for about 1010 yards and 5.5 touchdowns per season. Though last year’s numbers don’t show it, the Browns believe that with a more mature Mayfield, he can put up even bigger numbers.
