The Miami Dolphins have put wide receiver Jarvis Landry on the franchise day – but this is obviously not a guarantee for a stay in South Beach. On the contrary: The Dolphins are supposed to be interested in a trade.
As ESPN insider Adam Schefter has learned, the team will meet Landry’s advisors at the current Scouting Combine in Indianapolis to discuss the next steps.
The reports from Miami itself also point in this direction: Armando Salguero as well as Adam Beasley – both from the Miami Herald – are now counting on a trade. The Dolphins are not supposed to have much interest in working out a long-term deal.
According to Salguero, Landry wanted a four-year contract with an annual salary of $14.5 million, which is significantly more than Miami is willing to pay him. While Landry would be tied to Miami for about $16.2 million under the 2018 franchise day, it could also be traded and signed a new contract elsewhere.
In addition to the Baltimore Ravens, the Carolina Panthers and the Chicago Bears are also potential buyers. However, Landry has a certain say in this matter: If he or she does not agree to a new contract in the course of a possible trade, he or she would force the interested team to commit him or her under the 16 million-day deal – this would probably be a financial exclusion criterion for several teams and could prevent a trade.
Theoretically, every Team Landry could also acquire Landry without consulting with him or Miami, the Dolphins have only given him the non-exclusive Franchise Day. However, two first-round draft picks would then be due, a much too high price.
The 25-year-old has established himself as a reliable slot receiver in Miami, but has not yet been able to show that it can be much more than that: last season he recorded 112 catches, but on average only for 8.8 yards. It cannot be ruled out that Landry himself might well be able to make the switch to another offense.