Jarvis Landry said goodbye to playing with his best friend when the Cleveland Browns cut Odell Beckham, who signed with the Los Angeles Rams last week. Speaking from his Second Annual Thanksgiving Food Drive, which distributes meals to more than 1,000 needy local families, Landry said it stung to watch the situation with OBJ unfold.
"It definitely was something that hurt," Landry said Tuesday, via the Cleveland Plain Dealer. "It stung. It still does."
Landry and Beckham have been best friends since well before their NFL and LSU days. The fact that Landry couldn't help smooth things over with OBJ and the Browns underscored the tenuous nature of the soured relationship. Beckham's tenure ended after he forced his way out of town after on-field struggles.
Asked why he thinks things didn't work out with Beckham in Cleveland, Landry responded: "I don't know."
Landry himself has struggled to find any traction this season. The five-time Pro Bowl receiver has just 23 receptions for 219 yards and no scores in six games played this season. His 36.5 receiving yards per game ranks 86th in the NFL (two spots ahead of OBJ's 35.7).
"I haven't been able to get the ball so much, either," Landry said. "But at the end of the day, I've been able to (make the most) with the opportunities I'm given. Yeah, I'm battling some (injury) things, but on Sundays, I always give everything I have. And that will never change."
Much of the WR struggles in Cleveland have revolved around Baker Mayfield struggling. Landry defended his quarterback, who is dealing with a sore foot and a knee injury ahead of Sunday's game against Detroit after battling a shoulder injury.
"He's a tough man, and he's doing all the things necessary to make sure that he can be out there with us," Landry said of Mayfield. "As playmakers, when the ball's in the air, we're doing our best and understanding and knowing that it's the situation where he's got to get healthy, but we're still out here making plays with each other, for each other, and he always gives his best. That's all you can ask for."