2016 player recap: wide receiver Jarvis Landry

The PhinPhanatic staff will recap each Miami Dolphins player as we head all await the start of NFL free agency.  Today we highlight the emotional leader on the Dolphins offense, Jarvis Landry.

Jarvis Landry has been in Miami just three years now but it feels like much longer.  Landry is the type of guy you feel like you’ve watched for years.  He’s become someone we all just expect to be  in a Miami Dolphins uniform on Sunday ready to dominate.

That’s pretty obvious just by looking at the stat line.  Ever since week two of 2014 (Landry’s rookie season) he’s caught a pass in every game.  As a matter of fact he’s caught less than three passes in a game only once in his career; Landry caught two passes for five yards in a win vs. the Baltimore Ravens in 2015.

2016 was much of the same.  Landry was a competitor each and every week leading the Dolphins receivers in both receptions and yards.  His 94 catches ranked tied for 7th most in the NFL this past season and his 1,136 receiving yards are rank 10th among receivers.

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There’s no doubt he’s one of the best receivers in the NFL.  Statistically no receivers get more yards after reception than Landry (593).  That means nobody in the NFL – not Antonio Brown, or T.Y. Hilton, or Odell Beckham Jr. – do more with the ball once they get it in their hands.

For two consecutive years now he’s proven to be an elite option in the passing game every week.  What more does he have to prove?

Landry wouldn’t say he’s ran out of reasons to prove himself, though.  The fighter mentality in him never settles.  The highlight video above means nothing to him more than a stepping stone to what he’s ultimately working towards.

Although Landry has proven himself into the hearts of Dolphins fans and thousands of football fans worldwide he proved this past season that passion can be a blessing and a curse.

Spiking his helmet, jawing with opposing players, those types of things can cost a team.  Both of those incidents – more-so the smack talk and extracurriculars – took what was a positive play and made them negative.

I know many fans that hate it.  I know many fans absolutely love it.  In reality the only people it really matters to are Landry, head coach Adam Gase and the rest of the Dolphins.  Does it bother the coaching staff?  How about the other 10 players on the field?  Does it get the bench up and cheering when Miami is attempting to mount a comeback?

In hockey, players often fight to fire the team up.  It gets the guys ready to skate hard each and every shift knowing that their brother is willing to, essentially, get his ass kicked for them just for one or two more goals.

That’s who Landry is.  He has a hockey mentality in a football players body.  We’ve seen it for three years now.  And depending on an extension – that’s immenent – we’ll get it for 5+ more years.

Speaking of a new contract, Landry’s success is going to warrant a hefty paycheck from the Dolphins organization.  As stated above, Landry is a top 10 receiver in the NFL.  There’s no arguing that.  Top 10 receivers get paid a lot of money.

How much?  Think over $50 million.  Depending on guarantees and length of contract it could be over $60 million.  If that’s the case you would need to be comfortable putting him in the same category of the Julio Jones’ and AJ Green’s of the league.  While not far off, the two former are much different types of receiver than Landry.

Whatever contract Landry gets this offseason is worthy of what he means not only to the Dolphins but the city of Miami and Dolphins fans across the nation.