The Browns are expected to sign Jarvis Landry to a five-year, $75 million contract that would make him one of the highest-paid wide receivers in the NFL. But who will be throwing Landry passes for the next five years?
If it’s going to be Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen, whom many think the Browns are leaning toward taking with the first overall pick in the draft, then he’d seem to be an odd pairing with Landry.
What Landry primarily does is catch short passes, and a lot of them. Last season led the NFL with 112 catches, but he averaged just 8.8 yards per catch, and his total of 987 receiving yards was 17th in the NFL.
The reason the Browns might draft Allen first overall is that he has the strongest arm in the draft. If you expect Allen to be your franchise quarterback for years to come, you should be spending money on receivers who will make plays deep downfield, not possession receivers like Landry.
So the Browns’ decision to sign Landry to a lucrative extension could indicate that they’re not, contrary to some reports, zooming in on Allen as the first pick in the draft. Or it could mean they’re going to try to turn Allen into a quarterback who can be accurate on short passes -- something he wasn’t in college.
