Jarvis Landry admitted he was surprised at the extent of Browns changes after the disappointing 2019 season. (Rob Lorenzo)
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Editor's note: Tony Grossi is a Cleveland Browns analyst for TheLandOnDemand.com and 850 ESPN Cleveland.
MIAMI BEACH, FL
Jarvis Landy expected change, but not a complete housecleaning of football operations.
The Browns wide receiver admitted he did not see the exodus of GM John Dorsey and his football staff coming when he left team headquarters a month ago following his season-ending exit interview with owner Jimmy Haslam.
“It’s tough, right?” Landry said between commitments on Radio Row at the Super Bowl Media Center. “I don’t say I don’t like change, especially if it needs to happen, but it’s always tough when things are changing all the time.”
In his last interview with Cleveland media on Dec. 31, Landry praised the work of Dorsey for putting together “the most talent in one room” and said all the Browns needed was “leadership” to bring everyone together.
“I have tremendous respect for John and Eliot [Wolf, assistant GM), ‘Zo Highsmith [VP of player personnel] … tremendous, tremendous respect. I’m grateful to them. But it’s like one of those things. You hate to see it, but I think the best part about it is it was mutually agreed.”
Still, Landry’s renowned positivity has not abandoned him.
He said his initial thoughts about new coach Kevin Stefanski are positive.
“From the conversations we’ve had, I like him,” Landry said. “I don’t really know too much about him. But at the end of the day, he’s been very simple in things he’s talked about … just coming in to work. I like that.
“He’s not talking about being an offensive coordinator, that ‘I’m gonna call plays.’ It’s ‘We’ll see what’s best for the team, what’s best for the guys.’ That’s something I appreciate. Last year it was just … I don’t know what it was, there was a lot going on.”
Landry was unaware of reports that Stefanski will hire Alex Van Pelt as offensive coordinator. But he said he has spoken to all the other new offensive coaches and liked what he heard about Stefanski in conversations with players and coaches at the Pro Bowl last week in Orlando, FL.
“He seems like a great guy,” he said. “From everybody I’ve talked to, [Vikings receiver] Stefan Diggs and other coaches I met at the Pro Bowl. I’m excited to see what he’s going to bring, what element he brings to our team and our organization that will allow us to be successful. I know the teams, the fans, the city, a lot of people are thinking we finally got the pieces, a lot of pieces, so we just have to find somebody to fit them together.”
Landry said he has been impressed with Stefanski’s press conferences.
“He’s humble. I like that,” he said.
There’s no doubt he was ready for a change from coach Freddie Kitchens. He questioned Kitchens’ ability to adjust and call plays during a game.
“I’ll say this: the first 20 plays of a game are scripted calls,” he said. “The first 20 plays of a game are calls that come from a team’s tendencies, how they approach a game in the first quarter or the first drive, so it can be predictable what a defense is going to do. After that, it’s kind of just off play-calling. Obviously, it comes down to execution. But I just don’t know after those [20] plays what the plan was.”
Landry said he hasn’t had much conversation with quarterback Baker Mayfield and receiver Odell Beckham Jr. about the changes because they have been away on vacation, but he intends to meet up with them soon.
Landry said his hip and lower back were “decent” at the Pro Bowl and has not ruled out some day having surgery.
“It’s not out of the question if I necessarily need it, but it’s not something I’m looking into right now,” he said.