BEREA, Ohio — When the Cleveland Browns acquired wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. from the New York Giants in March, they reunited him with a close friend from their time together at Louisiana State University, fellow Pro Bowl pass-catcher Jarvis Landry.
Competition is a key part of the relationship between Landry and Beckham Jr., as each man pushes the other to become better players, often by challenging one another through practices. And Landry is expecting for that competition to continue during the remaining training camp practices, as well as the 2019 regular season.
“Man, to a whole other level,” Landry said of how the competition elevates both him and Beckham Jr. “I think the competition level obviously, with the respect and the competition level that we have between each other, is gonna allow us to grow more especially on the field.”
It did not take long for the competition to start between the LSU products.
During the first practice of training camp, Beckham Jr. drew thunderous cheers from the fans when he made a catch along the sideline during an 11-on-11 drill.
While running an out route against tight coverage from cornerback Terrance “Money” Mitchell, Beckham Jr. had the pass bounce off his hands and helmet, but stayed with the play and secured the catch with both feet down in bounds before falling to the ground.
“It’s real now because with those types of plays, with each play, other guys around, myself included, understand that the level of play just went up that much more and we’ve got to pick it up,” Landry said. “Around especially a guy as elite as he is, you will stick out in some kind of way if you’re not doing your part when you get your opportunities, and that’s kind of when the (stuff) got real.”
With the reception, Beckham Jr. set an important tone for the receiver room.
“I’ve always seen it,” Landry said. “Trust me, I’ve always seen it, but it’s been a while since it’s been on the same field together. Again, seeing it, it was like, ‘Damn. That’s what you can expect.’
“Any ball that touches his hands most likely will get caught to the fact where like if he doesn’t catch it, everybody’s like, ‘Oh.’ That’s the standard, though, and that’s the level that everybody needs to come up to. That’s what that brings and creates.”
Although Landry and Beckham Jr. have been teammates before, there has been speculation about whether the two can co-exist in the same NFL offense. But to Landry, adding a Pro Bowl player with Beckham Jr.’s proven track record of success as a professional is all in furtherance of the goal to contend for a championship.
“I love watching all the hard work guys put in now and throughout the week,” Landry said. “Then on Sunday, it pays off to everybody else’s entertainment when they celebrate, but you know the hard work they put in and how much they deserve that moment and how hard they work. So I love seeing my brother shine, too. That’s one of them.
“I want to win, and I think this organization is doing everything in their grasp to make sure that that happens, and I’m just happy to be a part of it. Whether if people say I started or not, it’s not about that to me. To me, it’s making sure that everybody in this building is doing what’s right by this organization to make sure we can win a championship.”
