Why the Packers need to sign free-agent Jarvis Landry
Jarvis Landry is everything you’d want in an NFL WR. He has the ability and talent to be great, which is exactly what he has been his entire career.
His production level has proven to be very high, which is impressive considering he has played for two struggling franchises in the Miami Dolphins and the Cleveland Browns. He is the definition of a leader. Landry is the real deal, and that is why the Green Bay Packers need to get him right now.
Let’s start with the numbers.
If you take out last season, which was injury-plagued, Landry has caught at least 70 balls for at least 750 yards every single season. From 2015-2019, he made five straight Pro Bowls. In three of those seasons, Landry totaled over 1,100 yards. His 564 receptions through his first six seasons are the most of any player in that span in NFL history.
Landry has a career average of 11 yards per reception. He has 89 career receptions of at least 20 yards. When given the opportunity, the Louisiana native has made big plays throughout his career. He has over 1,000 career targets. In his first seven career seasons, he never missed a game. Out of a possible 129 career games, Landry has only missed six. He is incredibly durable.
Looking at the film, the former LSU Tiger has the ability to run every route. His strength is in the slot. Do not let his 4.7 speed fool you. There is a difference between timing fast and playing fast.
Landry’s ability to shake the defender is still top tier. Landry finished 16th among all receivers with at least 70 targets in average yards-after-catch-per-reception at 5.0. His route-running is supreme. His run-blocking is also underrated. Although he has dealt with some injuries over the past few seasons, he would be a valuable piece to any WR room.
This is where the Green Bay Packers need to come in. With the recent losses of franchise legend Davante Adams and deep threat Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Green Bay needs another true pro.
Allen Lazard is an underrated and versatile WR who can do anything in this Matt LaFleur offense. Longtime Packer Randall Cobb has Aaron Rodgers’ trust. But after that, there are a lot of question marks. This team needs another leader. They need another veteran. They need another star. They need another great teammate. They need another stud.
Landry is exactly all of those things. He will be looking to join a winner. Green Bay has consistently been a winner for a long, long time. They just need a few more players to get them over top. There is a massive need at receiver. The Packers have roughly $16 million in cap space.
If GM Brian Gutekunst hasn’t personally called the eight-year veteran, he needs to seriously consider that right now.