Landry assesses Browns' offseason needs: 'Just leadership'
Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry wasted no time diagnosing what the Cleveland Browns need in 2020.
"Leadership. Just leadership," he told reporters Monday, according to NFL Network's Aditi Kinkhabwala.
The Browns entered 2019 with Super Bowl aspirations following a busy offseason that included the arrivals of Odell Beckham Jr., Olivier Vernon, and Sheldon Richardson, among others.
Despite all the hype, the Browns' season never really got off the ground. They were blown out by the Tennessee Titans in Week 1, failed to surpass the .500 mark at any point, suffered from drama off the field and a lack of discipline on it, and finished the year with a 6-10 record. Rookie head coach Freddie Kitchens was dismissed hours after Cleveland's regular-season finale.
"There are always times in seasons when things happen," Landry said, according to Keith Britton of 92.3 The Fan. "In crucial points in the game, being able to hold your composure, being able to talk to each other, treat everybody with respect. I just think at times, there was a lack thereof."
While he complimented Kitchens' work ethic, Landry suggested the Browns "relied too much on plays, not players," under his watch, according to Camryn Justice of News 5 Cleveland. Kitchens drew criticism throughout the season for not getting the ball into the hands of his top playmakers enough.
Landry opined that Kitchens' replacement should be "someone who demands respect, someone who respects his players, and someone who respects opponents." The 27-year-old added he believes the Browns would benefit from bringing in a head coach with previous experience, reports NFL Network's Andrew Siciliano.
Landry notched 83 receptions for 1,174 yards, a career high, and six touchdowns in 2019. He'll spend the upcoming days figuring out whether a hip injury he played through will require surgery, which would sideline him for six-to-eight months, according to Britton.
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