CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from a previous story.
Speaking with reporters at his press conference to wrap the 2021 season, Cleveland Browns general manager Andrew Berry was asked about Jarvis Landry's future with the team.
“I think everybody on this call knows how much respect we have for Jarvis Landry and really what he has meant for our team and organization over the past several years," Berry said. "He has been a productive player for us really since the day that we traded for him, and he has been really a key piece in terms of how the team and organization has evolved over the last several years.”
That Berry opted to focus on Landry's past instead of his future was notable.
Ever since the Browns' focus shifted from their disappointing 2021 season to the upcoming offseason, Landry has stood out as a likely candidate to be cut. In releasing the five-time Pro Bowl wide receiver, Cleveland can save nearly $15 million -- a sizable sum in a salary-capped league.
Taking Twitter on Tuesday morning, Landry only fueled speculation that a breakup with the Browns was forthcoming.
"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, while also detailing the injuries that hampered his performance throughout the season.
There was plenty to read into Landry's tweets, including a comment that many perceived to be a shot at Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield.
"You never heard me mention anything about it," Landry wrote of his own injuries.
But perhaps the most notable aspect of the LSU product's string of posts was the revelation that he and Cleveland have already had talks regarding his future. Especially since Landry still has one year remaining on his contract, which would seem to indicate that the two sides likely won't be maintaining the status quo.
While, as Berry noted, there's no questioning what Landry has meant to the Browns as a leader, it would be tough to argue that his production has matched his contract. The 29-year-old is currently in line to be the NFL's 12th highest-paid receiver in 2022, while his stats over the course of the past two seasons would indicate that he is closer to the top-50 players at position than the top 10.
In other words, the idea of Cleveland bringing Landry back on his $16.3 million salary next season seems far-fetched.
That doesn't, however, necessarily mean that Landry's time with the Browns is over, but this is where it gets tricky. A restructuring of Landry's contract could benefit both sides, with Cleveland getting to keep its top wide receiver and Landry receiving a salary he might not have been able to find on the open market.
Landry's tweets would seemingly suggest that such a discussion has already been broached -- although the tone of his posts also indicates that those negotiations likely aren't going well.
So what's next?
Taking Landry at his word, that's up to the Browns.