Jarvis Landry off and on-field issues could hurt negotiations with Dolphins
By Brian Miller
Jarvis Landry and the Miami Dolphins are negotiating a new contract. Or at the very least talking about a new contract. One may or may not get done.
Most fans want Landry re-signed. He is a passionate player who plays at 100% on every play. He has improved from season to season and last year scored nine touchdowns improving over his yearly average of four. But his production on the field is not enough to secure a new contract.
According to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald, there is a “back-story” that he claims will keep the Dolphins from dropping a ton of cash into Landry’s bank account. Salguero points out over and over that the issue will come down to money but if what he is saying is true, it may make fans stop for a second and think if this is the type of player Miami wants or needs on their team.
The news isn’t a bombshell but it could be a reason why rumors circulated in the hours before the trade deadline that Landry was up for sale. Perhaps, despite the Dolphins saying he wasn’t up for trade, they didn’t get an offer they wanted.
Miami made a trade. They shipped a problematic running back who was more of a me-first type player than a team-first player. The Dolphins are trying under Adam Gase to get the team the latter mindset. Ajayi didn’t fit that description and now he is gone.
"They see a player who has been, in the words of multiple sources, “a pain” to deal with and “hard to reach.” – Armando Salguero"
The revelations by Salguero suggest that Landry isn’t exactly a team leader either, in fact he flat-out says he is not. What he also suggests is that Landry is more of a me-first player. Salguero cites confrontations with the coaches, running the wrong routes, not paying attention to the little details, and so on.
If this information is true it puts a glaze over the emotional high energy receiver that fans have fallen in love with. It gives an insight into a player that isn’t here for the right “team” reasons. Should that player still be on the roster? Will a new expensive contract change his ways or will the Dolphins be investing their future into a headache?
Landry will cost the Dolphins somewhere between $11 million and $14.5 million per season when the contract is finally ironed out. Likely closer to the 14 than the 11. Think of that for a second as that money can buy a tight-end and a guard.
Over the last two years the Dolphins have well overpaid for player services. They paid Kiko Alonso far too much and then paid Andre Branch far too much as well. They are regrettable contracts.
There is no question that on the field Landry deserves to get paid as one of the best in the league. Somewhere around $12.5 sounds reasonable but if Landry is on his own page and now the page of the team and what they are trying to build, it could be a monumental mistake for the short and long-term success of the franchise. Miami has to be a little more careful with their money but when it comes to a player with inside problem, they need to be even more cautious.
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Allowing Landry to leave via free agency has its reward and its risks. He could easily end up in New England or on another AFC East rival. He could end up on any AFC team. Miami would likely get a third round compensatory pick if he signed elsewhere. A small compensation.
The real question that needs to be asked by fans and by the team more importantly is this: Is Jarvis Landry’s production on the field replaceable? The answer is yes. Landry is a slot receiver with great hands and is extremely hard to tackle but his reception totals are a bit construed given the protection issues the quarterbacks have had. Landry isn’t the primary receiver, he is the go-to receiver when the QB checks down or dumps off the ball.
The problem however is the passion. You can’t coach it and you can’t teach it. You can’t expect that level of play from a rookie or another receiver that fills that hole. Landry is scary good and that is why fans love him. And why my statement that he can be replaced is both right and wrong at the same time.
Miami has a huge decision to make her and this new “back-story” that Salguero talks about makes it a little clearer as to what is going on behind closed doors, what the Dolphins are thinking and wanting from the Landry camp. When this all settles it will be about the money, but not the dollar amount. It will be about what the Dolphins are willing to pay for a player who may not be a team player.
Of course the other side of all of this is just as simple. The reports from Salguero are completely wrong. Perhaps they were leaked by someone to drop the asking price. Who knows. What we do know is one simple thing, Jarvis Landry is the best offensive player the Dolphins have and letting him go in free agency could be a huge mistake.