CLEVELAND — Taking to Twitter last week, Jarvis Landry made it clear that he and the Cleveland Browns are at a crossroads.
And with all signs pointing to a likely breakup between the Browns and their five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, Cleveland general manager Andrew Berry opted to focus on the past rather than the future when asked about Landry's future with his team.
"Jarvis, he's been a productive player for us for the past four years -- a big part of helping us turn the tide and everything like that," Berry said at the NFL Draft Scouting Combine on Tuesday. "The next couple of weeks are big for us in terms of assessing the entirety of the roster. But Jarvis has been a key veteran for us, a key producer. And we're very grateful for all that."
Berry's comments come one week after the 29-year-old wide receiver posted a thread on Twitter discussing his uncertain future in Cleveland. Of note, Landry stated that he had put the ball in the Browns' court regarding his contract, which has one year and $16.3 million remaining on it.
"I have put the ball in CLE court by telling them I would like to stay but if not then I’m confident enough in myself to be a better healthy me this year and moving forward to helping do my part in winning a championship elsewhere," Landry wrote.
At the heart of the apparent disconnect between the Browns and Landry is the reality that Cleveland is unlikely to keep the LSU product at his current cap figure. But while the Browns could save nearly $15 million by releasing him, the two sides could also restructure his contract, just as Cleveland did with right tackle Jack Conklin this past week.
In, order to do that, however, both sides would need to find a middle ground that is mutually beneficial -- a task that could prove easier said than done.
Asked on Tuesday if Landry remains a part of his team's plans moving forward, Berry remained noncommittal.
"I'm not going to go into any of our specific planning or anything along those lines," he said. "Jarvis has been a key veteran for us for a number of years."