How Much did Browns Miss Jarvis Landry?

Whether he plays against the Arizona Cardinals or not, Jarvis Landry is preparing to come off of injured reserve after missing three games and when answering the question of whether the Cleveland Browns really missed him, the answer isn't clear cut.

The Cleveland Browns have designated Jarvis Landry to return from injured reserve from an MCL, but for the first time since he's been with the team, Landry missed games while the rest of the team has continued and from a bird's eye view, the team didn't really miss him all that much, but there are some areas where he could help.

In general, the Browns passing offense has been good. Better than last season. The team is averaging 9.05 yards per target across the entire team, up from 7.38 last year. Baker Mayfield is fifth in the league in average depth of target according to Pro Football Focus while completing 66.9 percent of his passes, much of which has been while dealing with a partially torn labrum. The Browns are averaging 135.4 yards after the catch per game this year, up from 88.3 in 2020.

In other words, the Browns are attacking further down the field, creating better spacing which is enabling more yards after the catch and efficiency is up across the board.

There is room for improvement. For starters, even as the Browns are benefiting significantly from the presence of Odell Beckham, they have yet to be able to truly maximize him through three games, although much of that is on Baker Mayfield and his inaccuracy against the Minnesota Vikings.

That may be the difference between being good and being one of the best offenses in the league.

So in that respect, the Browns don't really miss Landry. He's not someone that is going to help them stretch the field or create space. Rather, he is a beneficiary of spacing created by others. Landry is also slower, which doesn't seem ideal for what the Browns want to do.

The devil is in the details, which is where Landry could benefit the Browns offense. They are perfectly fine with out Landry between the 20s, but the area where Landry could provide a real benefit for the Browns is in the red zone. While Landry would not solve all the issues the Browns have had in the red zone, the Browns have been more creative in that area of the field when Landry has been available, utilizing him on jet sweeps for example.

Landry is always working in the short area of the field anyway, so the red zone is no different for him. There may be more traffic to navigate, but he is able to make the most out of a small amount of space.

They still need to improve upon protection issues they've had in that area of the field as well as being able to run the ball without hesitation.

Landry also might help the Browns late in the game when the team needs a drive. It at least appears as though Mayfield is more comfortable and confident when Landry is on the field. Last year, Mayfield was the best quarterback in the fourth quarter according to PFF. This year, he hasn't been.

An over simplification, the Browns have been dealing with some miscommunication issues on offense, which may be due to the amount of youth being utilized on offense. Landry isn't going to make those type of mistakes and Mayfield knows exactly where he's going to be, which is valuable.

That's more of an irrational feeling than anything else, but it at least seems true.

It's not clear if or how much Landry will play against the Arizona Cardinals this week, but it will be interesting to see how the Browns put him back in the offense after missing three games; easing him in and allowing to have specific roles that play to his strengths versus simply putting him back out there as a starter along with Beckham.

Should it prove true that Landry helps the Browns operate more efficiently in the red zone and late game situations could produce a significant bump. He would become a closer of sorts. 3rd and 4th downs with short and intermediate distances to gain could also be an area where Landry contributes.

The three game absence proved the Browns can certainly operate and survive, even thrive without Landry. Nevertheless, there are areas where Landry can help elevate the team, which may make them a more dangerous and complete team as they seek to be a contender for the Super Bowl.

READ MORE: Odell Beckham is Only a Problem if We Make Him One