CLEVELAND — The Browns placed star wide receiver Jarvis Landry on the injured reserve list on Tuesday, which will require him to miss at least three upcoming games.
Without Landry, the Browns could be without two of their top receivers on Sunday against the Chicago Bears. Odell Beckham Jr. has missed the first two weeks of the season after recovering from a 2020 knee injury. Coach Kevin Stefanski said Beckham is being evaluated and would not say definitively when the Browns will decide Beckham’s status for Sunday’s game.
Landry was injured in the Browns’ opening drive in their 31-21 victory against Houston on Sunday. Stefanski described Landry’s status Monday as “week to week.”
Stefanski addressed how a season can turn based on injuries.
“This is a very physical game,” he said. “You lose Jarvis on the second play of the game, and guys have to step up. That is the nature of this thing. I thought guys stepped up. If he is not available this week, guys have to step up. If we have somebody else who is unavailable, a guy has to step up.”
Landry has been as durable as players come in the NFL. In his first six seasons, Landry did not miss a single game. Last year, Landry missed a game for the first time as he was placed on the COVID-19 list near the end of the season.
Stefanski voiced confidence in receivers Donovan Peoples-Jones and Anthony Schwartz to fill the void Landry and Beckham leaves.
“Donovan [Peoples-Jones] has made big plays for us and I think about that third down late in the Kansas City game, and I know Schwartz has made big plays for us,” Stefanski said. “If those two are out there, we are going to be counting on them. If someone else is out there, we are going to be counting on them. That is kind of how it works.”
Schwartz has accepted a larger role amid injuries among the team’s receivers.
“I prepare like I am going to be in every play of the game, but still having that confirmation like it is you and you are going in, it got me more excited for the game honestly, knowing that I would play a lot more,” he said late last week. “It feels great, but of course, we would love to have him (Beckham) back still. He is an amazing player, and we feel we will be even stronger when he comes back.”
One player who is not on the injured reserve list as of Tuesday afternoon is linebacker Sione Takitaki. Stefanski said Monday he will be out on a week to week basis with a hamstring injury.
