Adam Gase “Landry is going to be a huge part of it” regarding wide-receivers
By Brian Miller
The Miami Dolphins cut bait with running back Jay Ajayi on Tuesday and there was rampant speculation that Jarvis Landry would follow him out the door.
Trading Jarvis Landry didn’t happen and now speculation turns to the end of the year when the Dolphins will have three options, let him hit free agency, franchise him, or re-sign him. After Tuesday’s relentless speculation the options sound as though the first one is the likely scenario. Unless of course it’s not.
Speaking to the media a day after the big trade sent Ajayi to Philadelphia for a 4th round draft pick, Adam Gase said Landry is in the Dolphins plans.
"“We told him a while ago … he wasn’t going anywhere,” Gase said. “We have a vision for what we want that wide receiver room to look like, and we expect him to be a huge part of that.” via the Palm Beach Post."
That is the first solid endorsement Landry has seen from anyone in the Dolphins hierarchy that resembles a commitment to keeping him. It’s not much but it is something. The Dolphins were not pressed into making a new contract with Landry last season. Landry still had a year left on his deal and that gave Miami time to continue to evaluate him.
When speaking about Ajayi’s absence potentially leading to more money for Landry, he hinted at the front office being on the same page as Adam Gase.
"“I want to be here and as far as my talks with Adam and with everybody upstairs, it’s the same. via the Palm Beach Post."
Landry is a huge favorite of the fan base and sometimes teams need to look beyond what players do and do not do on the field. If Landry wasn’t a productive player the options would be a lot simpler but Landry is productive. He loves Miami and the fans, if only he played wide-out instead of slot. That is the killing point. The sticker that keeps getting added to any talks about the future.
What future is in store for Landry is anyone’s guess at this point and barring someone from the front office convincing him to sign a deal before the season is up, we won’t know until the days maybe weeks before the March start to free agency. Until then, we can take some hope that Gase is telling us not what we want to hear but what really is in the Dolphins plans.