The 2022 NFL free agency period is off and running at a furious pace. As players continue to sign during free agency, predictions for free agent WR Jarvis Landry continue to be discussed. Which NFL teams in need of additional receiver help could benefit from acquiring Landry in free agency?
Predictions for Jarvis Landry in 2022 NFL free agency
Drama has been non-stop in Cleveland. Without question, the most significant has been the public courting of Deshaun Watson, leading to the eventual trade with Houston. It has also overshadowed the situation involving Landry.
After the two sides attempted to restructure his contract to keep him in Cleveland, it became clear there was little middle ground. Initially, the Browns permitted Landry to seek a trade after Cleveland acquired Amari Cooper from the Dallas Cowboys. Instead, they opted to release the five-time Pro Bowler after no suitable trade partners were found.
Landry struggled last season due to a knee sprain he suffered in Week 2, an injury that kept him out for five weeks. He finished the 2021 season with 52 receptions, 570 yards, and 4 total touchdowns, which were all career lows.
Heading into Year 9 in the NFL, Landry hopes a fresh start with a new team will help get him back to producing at a high level. With the wide receiver free agent market slowly heating up, where do predictions suggest Landry could play in 2022 and beyond?
Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers is back with Green Bay. Great, but who is he going to throw the ball to on game day? The Packers just shipped out All-Pro WR Davante Adams to Las Vegas so he can relive his college days at Fresno State with Derek Carr, leaving Rodgers in an unenviable situation.
The argument can be made the Packers have the worst wide receiver room in their entire NFL. The organization placed a second-round tender on Allen Lazard, all but guaranteeing he is back in 2022.
Beyond him, it gets messy, with Randall Cobb, Amari Rodgers, Malik Taylor, and Juwann Winfree as the top WRs. We could see Marques Valdez-Scantling return, but given that he’s a UFA, there is no guarantee.
No one player can replace Adams, but adding Landry can help soften the blow. Green Bay is trying to stay among the NFC favorites but needs to make some quick moves not to lose more ground.
Atlanta Falcons
Olamide Zaccheaus, Frank Darby, Christian Blake, Austin Trammell, and Chad Hansen. That is the receiver room for the Atlanta Falcons. Calvin Ridley gambled away his career, and Atlanta allowed Russell Gage to sign during free agency with the Buccaneers.
If not for Green Bay, Atlanta might have the worst receiver room in the league. I know the Falcons are still upset they blew another lead, this time on Watson, but they can’t leave free agency without wide-sweeping WR changes.
As PFN Lead NFL Analyst Dalton Miller points out, it would be roster malpractice by GM Terry Fontenot to not sign Landry. He can perfectly complement TE Kyle Pitts, not just by attacking different levels of the field but also by serving as a decoy on some plays.
No, Matt Ryan will not set the world on fire, but he at least needs someone to target other than the ball boy. This prediction might not happen if Landry wants to play for a contender, as that’s a ways out for the Falcons.
Buffalo Bills
There has been a pattern during free agency. The rich keep getting richer. Look at the AFC West, for example, where a full-blown arms race is underway. Another example is in Buffalo. After asserting themselves as a team to beat in the AFC, the Bills have continued to make splash signings, the largest coming by way of Von Miller on a six-year, $120 million deal. That’s a lot of buffalo wings.
Why not continue the spending on offense? Following the release of Cole Beasley, Landry would be the perfect replacement. Not only would he slide into the slot, but he is a better player after the catch. It would round out a frightening group of pass catchers with Stefon Diggs, Gabriel Davis, Dawson Knox, Isaiah McKenzie, and Landry. The Bills have been a trendy prediction for Landry, and as the WR market continues to move, it becomes more realistic by the day.
New Orleans Saints
As ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on March 14, both the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints are the two teams that have “expressed the most interest” in the former Browns receiver. Following KC’s signing of JuJu Smith-Schuster, I feel we can confidently remove them from Landry predictions. The Saints, however, very much remain relevant.
Before last year, Landry had 840+ yards in six straight seasons, including five of six with 975 yards or more. Last season, the Saints didn’t have a single player with over 700 yards. Schematically, it’s a great fit. Landry would be able to give the Saints a legitimate No. 2 option alongside Michael Thomas.
He would also allow Marquez Callaway to remain on the perimeter as a field stretcher. The prevailing thought is the Saints will re-sign Jameis Winston after missing out on Watson. Regardless of who is under center, Landry would be a substantial upgrade at WR.