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Cleveland Browns: The 4 offensive players with most to prove in 2021

By Eddie McDonald

CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 03: Austin Hooper #81 of the Cleveland Browns reacts after his touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on January 03, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JANUARY 03: Austin Hooper #81 of the Cleveland Browns reacts after his touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the third quarter at FirstEnergy Stadium on January 03, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images) /
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CLEVELAND, OHIO – DECEMBER 14: Wide receiver Jarvis Landry #80 of the Cleveland Browns warms up prior to the game against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 14, 2020 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /

2. Jarvis Landry, WR

Let me preface everything I’m about to say by stating that I am a huge Jarvis Landry fan and love him on this team.

There was a lot of talk amongst Browns fans this offseason regarding Landry. This was mainly due to Julio Jones wanting out of Atlanta (He got his wish and was traded to Tennessee) and some Browns fans wanting him in Orange and Brown.

Browns Twitter was in a free-for-all brawl regarding the topic.

These fans were willing to part ways with Landry in order to acquire the former All-Pro receiver. In reality, the Browns wouldn’t have had to even give up Landry. None of that matters now as Jones did not in fact come to Cleveland.

Landry is loved by the Browns fan base and many give him credit as one of the early guys to kick start the culture shift in Cleveland. He is definitely an emotional locker room leader, and that goes a long way for some teams, especially how he embraces every member of the wide receiver room.

Where Landry will have to prove himself is more so on the field. Now, before you blow up my mentions (@KingEdward15), let me explain.

For the most part, Landry has been relatively consistent in his three years with the Browns. Over that time, he has posted solid numbers with 236 receptions, 2,990 yards, and 13 touchdowns. While those numbers aren’t bad, they are a bit misleading.

He has reception totals of 81, 83, and 72. His target totals are 149, 138, and 101. This is a guy who led the league in receptions in 2017 when he was a member of the Dolphins. With that being said, he has a 12.7 yards-per-reception in his tenure with Cleveland. He is not someone who will beat you over the top and really spread a defense out.

The Chiefs played press cover-one-man coverage against the Browns in the Divisional Round, which was due to no explosive players like Beckham on the outside. A lot of spaces where Landry thrives are over the middle from the slot, but the issue is it clogs up the field with the tight ends roaming there too.

Much like Beckham, Landry takes up a large portion of the cap. His productivity does not warrant that type of contract, but that can be managed with a restructure next offseason, should he still be on the team.

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