The New Orleans Saints made somewhat of a splash this week when they signed veteran free agent wide receiver Jarvis Landry to a one-year contract that will reportedly be worth up to $6 million.
Saints signing wide receiver Jarvis Landry (via @TomPelissero) pic.twitter.com/gEgAzsz0vm
— NFL (@NFL) May 13, 2022
It wasn’t quite the Las Vegas Raiders getting Davante Adams or the Miami Dolphins nabbing Tyreek Hill, but it is a notable move nonetheless.
This signing will take Landry back to his native Louisiana.
He grew up in the rural part of southern Louisiana, and he played his college ball at Louisiana State University over in Baton Rouge, where he made the All-SEC team.
Does Landry make the Saints a bona fide playoff team?
Landry Is Very Proven, But Is He Still Pro Bowl-caliber?
Over the last several years, Landry has been one of pro football’s better wide receivers, and his career numbers are impressive.
In his eight seasons in the NFL, he has gone over 1,100 yards three times, and he came very close to 1,000 yards in two other seasons.
He led the league with 112 receptions in 2017 as a member of the Dolphins and starting in his second season, he was named to the Pro Bowl for five straight years.
Jarvis Landry’s career resume:
– 5x Pro Bowl
– 2017 NFL REC (112) leader
– 2014 PFWA All-Rookie
– Most REC (564) during a player’s 1st 6 seasons in NFL history
– Most REC (112) in 1 #Dolphins season
pic.twitter.com/RmOHvt8olU— Pro Sports Outlook (@PSO_Sports) May 13, 2022
However, this past season, he saw his production dip.
With the Cleveland Browns, he put up just 570 yards, 52 receptions and two touchdowns, well below his season averages.
Granted, he sprained his knee early in the season and he ended up missing five games.
But still, his yards per game average of 47.5 and his receptions per game average of 4.3 were well below his norms.
At age 29, he is not exactly old, and he could easily bounce back and have a very strong season.
If he does, and especially if he has a Pro Bowl-caliber season, it would be a big boon to a squad that just barely missed the playoffs in 2021.
Other Reinforcements Are On The Way
Running back Alvin Kamara missed several games this past season due to injury, but he will be back and seems to be primed for a sixth Pro Bowl appearance in as many seasons.
Kamara is a solid dual-threat tailback, and he could take some pressure off Landry.
But the big return that Saints fans are pinning their hopes on is that of wide receiver Michael Thomas.
In 2019, his last fully healthy year, he led the NFL with 1,725 receiving yards and he also recorded nine touchdowns en route to the Pro Bowl and the All-Pro First-team.
He has missed most of the last two seasons with a severe ankle injury, but if he is back to his old self in 2022, the Saints could be a force to be reckoned with.
All this will also go a long way in helping Jameis Winston, the Saints’ starting quarterback, return to form himself.
It’s easy to forget that in 2019 he led the league in passing yards with 5,109 and that he was once a much-hyped rookie who was taken with the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.
Interceptions have been perhaps Winston’s biggest problem, but having a solid, proven vet like Landry to throw to could at least somewhat alleviate it.
