The Packers offense is young and hungry. They have athletic playmakers all over the field ready to prove themselves. The only thing they need is experience. The quarterback, wide receiver, and tight end rooms are all sorely lacking someone who has “been there and done that.”
There have been mixed messages on how the organization will handle the receiver situation.
A little over a week ago Matt LaFleur insisted that the team would likely rely on second year receivers to be the veterans in the room. A week later it was reported that the Packers were looking at a veteran receiver.
All this comes not long after LaFleur recognized the need for veteran leadership at the NFL owners meetings. “We’re going to have to add some bodies to that room. What do we got, like five guys on the roster right now?” LaFleur said. “I think some veteran leadership would be nice.”
Well if Coutee is on the table, then Jarvis Landry should be a no brainer.
Landry, a former top flight talent, is a skilled underneath slot receiver who could act as a veteran safety blanket for a young growing qb. No doubt Jordan Love has chemistry with Christian Watson, Romeo Doubs, and Josiah Deguara. And surely the quarterback will develop alongside the slew of draft picks they took at the receiver and tight end positions. But having a deep in the league, skilled veteran that a young quarterback can go to on third down is a huge asset to an offense. Even an aging Hall of Famer like Aaron Rodgers knows this. Rodgers insisted the front office pursue Randall Cobb and then found him time and time again in important situations in 2022.
Landry missed most of 2022 with an injury, and would likely come in on a one year prove it deal. Perfect for the young Green Bay core that feels about a year away from soaring on their own. Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus describes Landry as the sort of veteran that could really make a difference.
“He is also known to be a good veteran leader, which could be a nice addition to a team with a lot of young offensive weapons. He’s coming off the two worst seasons of his career, but he was arguably the best slot receiver in the NFL from 2015 to 2020. His 3,938 receiving yards, 1,748 yards after the catch, 1,166 yards after contact and 91 explosive receptions of 15 or more yards all ranked first among qualifying slot receivers over that span. Buying low on a potential bounce-back player could age nicely in the right setting.”
It could be the perfect move at the perfect time for Green Bay. What if Landry returns to form in a contract year? The Packers are currently playing with house money. The national media thinks they’re firmly in a rebuild. Most NFL fans think they made a mistake even drafting Jordan Love. But Brian Gutekunst has quietly assembled a good roster loaded with good young talent. Speaking about their potential ESPN’s Louis Riddick said “I think over the next season and over the next couple of years this could be one of the most explosive offenses in the NFL. And I think it has unlimited upside, but they have to take it slow and be willing to live with the bumps in the road.”
What better way to smooth out those bumps than with a guy who has already been through them. Landry’s ability and leadership could both provide production immediately and help speed up the growth curve of the young player makers.
What if the now healthy defense has a bounce back year? Could a veteran playmaker help this offense click sooner? If one could, this is a team that could surprise a lot of people.
Maybe the detractors are right. Maybe this is potentially a six win team destined for a disaster. But if they’re wrong and this is a team with some potential, a few of the right veteran leaders could change everything. Put Landry in the wide receiver room and a good veteran quarterback like Foles or Ryan in the QB room and you’ve got the makings of something good.
If Landry was looking for one more big contract in his career the situation could be a no-brainer for him as well. Sure he could spend a prove it year in Kansas City like JuJu Smith Schuster. He could easily go to Buffalo, Dallas, or any other myriad of potential contenders and play a small role and prove he still belongs. Or he swing big and be the veteran leader on an offense that surprises people. The amount of payday that could come after an accomplishment like that would be quite nice. Especially in an NFL where receivers are getting larger than life deals. A 31-year-old Landry returning from injury to help lead a good Packers offense would look awfully good on a free agents resume. The whole thing could be a big potential win win.
