Browns release Jarvis Landry

The Cleveland Browns released wide receiver Jarvis Landry on Monday.

Landry spent four seasons with the Browns and is widely credited with helping to change the culture of a franchise that won just four games in the three seasons prior to his arrival.

General manager Andrew Berry acknowledged Landry’s contributions in a team-provided statement:

“The trade for Jarvis Landry in 2018 was a key moment for our organization. Jarvis’ on-field production and fiery competitiveness speaks for itself, but his leadership and team-oriented attitude impacted our culture in a way that will last in time even beyond his release. These decisions are always difficult, but we wish Jarvis well and we look forward to the day when he returns as a storied Browns alumnus.”

In four seasons with the Browns, Landry had 288 receptions for 3,560 yards, 15 touchdowns and an average of 12.4 yards per catch. Those numbers, outside of his yards per catch, were all down from his four years with the Miami Dolphins, when he had 400 receptions for 4,038 yards and 22 touchdowns.

Landry still made an impact on the Browns, however, as he completes his tenure ranked 15th on the franchise’s all-time list in receiving yards, and his average of 60.3 receiving yards per game are third-most for someone who played 40 or more games for the Browns, according to the team’s website.

His speech to his fellow wide receivers during an episode of HBO’s Hard Knocks series highlighted Landry’s leadership and helped make him a fan favorite.

Cleveland was reportedly open to having Landry return under a reduced salary and were willing to trade him, but no teams were willing to take on the $14.3 million owed him in the final year of the contract he signed after arriving in Cleveland via a trade with the Dolphins.

The Browns will take on a $1.5 million dead cap charge and save $14.879 million in cap space with Landry’s release.