RAVENS HAVE REPORTEDLY EXPRESSED INTEREST IN FREE AGENT WR JARVIS LANDRY
Former Browns wide receiver and free agent Jarvis Landry has recently been linked to the Browns’ AFC North rivals, the Baltimore Ravens.
Per 247Sports’ Brad Stainbrook, the Ravens have expressed interest in signing the veteran wide receiver since the end of the draft. The Ravens traded away their no.1 wide receiver Marquise “Hollywood” Brown and an additional third-round pick to the Arizona Cardinals for the Cardinals’ first-round pick in the draft in April but didn’t pick a wide receiver with any of their 11 total selections. The team currently still has a need at the position and is looking to add via the free agency market.
Speaking after the NFL Draft, Ravens GM Eric DeCosta confirmed that the team was indeed looking to add players: “We will add players to the mix. We’re doing that right now and we’ll look at veteran players as well… You’re always really going to be chasing a need. Every team in the league will tell you that. You’re chasing needs. That’s what you do in this business. You’re always trying to fix your biggest needs and move forward and you want to get as strong as you can. We will continue to address it. There will be opportunities for us…possible trades, undrafted free agency, free agents on the street, and we’ll build the best team we can.”
The Cleveland Browns have reportedly not been in touch with Jarvis Landry with the team taking two wide receivers in the draft last week. According to USA Today’s Tyler Dragon, the possibility of Landry returning to the Browns has “decreased” since the draft wrapped up.
The former Miami Dolphins wide receiver turns 30 in November and could follow in the footsteps of previous veteran wide receivers Anquan Boldin and Steve Smith who signed with the Ravens and ended up having successful careers well into their thirties.
The Ravens’ current wide receiver room is small and lacking in experience after both Hollywood Brown and former Chiefs wide receiver Sammy Watkins left this offseason. 2020 draftees out of the University of Texas and SMU, Devin Duvernay and James Proche are the most experienced of the remaining wide receivers. Although a talented bunch with the inclusion of second-year wide receivers Rashod Bateman and Tylan Wallace, the addition of veteran experience and leadership in that room looks like a key need.
While it remains to be seen what comes of the report regarding Jarvis Landry, it should come as a relief to Ravens fans that the team is actively looking to bolster the options at the position. The Ravens have also been aggressive in UFA and have brought in six wide receivers of the 17 undrafted free agent signings.
-Maher Abucheri
Twitter: @pabloikonyero
Photo: Jeffrey Beall. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.