Jarvis Landry, an NFL wide receiver, made headlines this weekend when his name came up on the trading block with a destination marked for Cleveland.
According to NBC Sports , the Dolphins decided to trade the 25-year-old Lousiana State University alum to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for two draft picks for two separate years: 2018 and 2019. This was not a big surprise for a lot of Dolphins fans, critics, and reporters, especially since the Miami Dolphins had already chosen to place a one-year franchise tag worth $16 million on their star wide receiver.
With a franchise tag in place, it made it much easier for the Dolphins to work on and finalize a trade that would allow the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver to wear a different jersey in the upcoming season.
Once the news was confirmed, a lot of people undoubtedly waited for Jarvis Landry to speak up. As of yet, Landry has not issued a statement to the fans, players, coaches, or staff of the Miami Dolphins, like Jay Ajayi did when he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. Instead, he has shared several cryptic tweets and one-liner quotes that make it seem as if Landry is more than ready to leave his Dolphin days behind him – including:
- “The LAND” ( an affectionate nickname for the city of Cleveland )
- “They gon realize”
- “How long can opportunity meet preparation”
Perhaps the most profound tweet left was his “mood” post that showed an animated picture of Landry wearing a Cleveland Browns jersey:
Mood pic.twitter.com/RjFvQngy2x
— Jarvis Juice Landry (@God_Son80) March 10, 2018
In return, it did not take very long for the rest of Twitter to respond to the news of Jarvis Landry heading from the Miami Dolphins to the Cleveland Browns with memes, GIFs, mockery, and quips.
Some tweets poked fun at the possibility of a foreshadowed ending of Landry’s NFL career.
Here lies the career of Jarvis Landry: pic.twitter.com/alvlYVWr0I
— Based 2kNation (@Based2kNation) March 10, 2018
A moment of silence for Jarvis Landry’s career
— Dak (@Dakota_Stubler) March 9, 2018
Breaking: Jarvis Landry has announced he’s retiring from the NFL after being traded to the Browns.
— The Fake ESPN (@TheFakeESPN) March 9, 2018
Jarvis Landry when he heard that he got traded to the Cleveland Browns
— BEAL SZN (Mo) (@JohnWallGOAT) March 9, 2018
Other tweets joked about Jarvis’ possible reactions to the news of his trade to the Cleveland Browns.
“Jarvis Landry traded to the Cleveland Browns”
Jarvis Landry: pic.twitter.com/OYR9s4s0VH
— kobe. (@LarvisJandry) March 9, 2018
There was even a tweet that was a creative reference to another trade between Cleveland and Miami that made headlines several years ago within a different professional sport.
Jarvis Landry just went from South Beach to Cleveland. Life comes at you fast.
— Fake SportsCenter (@FakeSportsCentr) March 9, 2018
Among football fans, the overall reaction to the news of the Jarvis Landry trade was mixed. Some were excited to see Jarvis Landry leave the Dolphins’ roster, referring to him as “overrated,” while others shifted their negative emotions to the Dolphins by claiming that they made a big mistake by trading him in exchange for two draft picks.
Opinions aside, the stats do not lie. The fact that Jarvis Landry accumulated 400 catches in four seasons speaks volumes about his past performance and future potential. As several fans noted on Twitter, it is important to take into consideration that Jarvis’ final play on the Dolphins roster last season was a touchdown.
A taste of what Jarvis Landry has done his last few years. I don’t think many Browns fans have seen his tape. pic.twitter.com/9l4wpk8s2G
— Jake Burns (@jake_burns18) March 10, 2018
As a high school student in Lutcher, Louisiana, Jarvis Landry was a star athlete in three different sports, including track and basketball. His football stats made it clear that he was a solid prospect for playing college football and even making his way to the NFL, especially since he had 51 catches for over 700 yards and accumulated 11 touchdowns in his senior year alone.
Jarvis Landry continued his trailblazing path to the NFL with the guidance and support of head coach Les Miles from 2011 to 2013 as he played college football for LSU. Fans and critics knew he was definitely going places back in 2013 during his junior year when he formed a dynamic duo of wide receivers with fellow LSU alum and future NFL star Odell Beckham,Jr.
At the end of the day production trumps all; Jarvis Landry leads all WRs since 2014 with 267 receptions & 2,880 yards from the slot #FinsUp pic.twitter.com/BQREZYDqNa
— Ryan Smith (@PFF_RyanSmith) February 13, 2018
It was not surprising when Landry made the decision to forego his senior season at LSU to enter the 2014 NFL Draft where the Miami Dolphins scooped him up with the 63rd overall pick.
Only time will tell if Jarvis Landry will be able to leave the Miami Dolphins behind to become a Super Bowl champion as Jay Ajayi did the same season he was traded to the Philadelphia Eagles. However, it is clear that the Miami Dolphins may have a few tricks up their sleeves with their plans for the upcoming 2018 NFL Draft and their overall strategy for the new season.