‘Grateful’ Landry bids team farewell
Jarvis Landry is one of the most emotional players in recent Dolphins’ history, and his farewell was predictably heartfelt.
The trade that sent him to Cleveland in exchange for fourth- and seventh-round picks became official Wednesday, and Landry posted an allcaps goodbye note to South Florida.
“MIAMI THANK YOU,” he wrote. “THE FANS, MY TEAMMATES. FOR THE EXPERIENCE THESE PAST 4 YEARS. I CANT TELL YOU WHAT IT HAS MEANT TO ME AND MY FAMILY.”
Landry added he is “forever grateful” to owner Stephen Ross, former general manager Dennis Hickey and former receivers coach Phil McGeoghan.
He did not mention vice president Mike Tannenbaum, who handles player contracts, or coach Adam Gase. The season ended with Gase and Landry yelling at each other in the Kansas City game and Gase calling Landry’s ejection in the finale one of the most embarrassing things he’s ever seen in a game.
Gase spoke glowingly of Landry at the NFL combine two weeks ago and said he wanted him on the team, even though the team was obviously trying to trade him. Neither has addressed their relationship publicly since the deal was agreed to in principle last Friday.
Hayes, Denney return:
The Dolphins are bringing back free-agent defensive lineman William Hayes and long snapper John Denney, according to a league source.
Hayes can play defensive end and defensive tackle and last season, Pro Football Focus ranked him as the NFL’s fourth-best end against the run.
Hayes, 32, had 19 tackles in 10 games last season before he was shut down due to injury. Hayes was acquired from the Los Angeles Rams prior to last season along with a seventh-round pick for a sixthround pick.
Gase was a huge fan of Hayes’ professionalism.
“When you put him on the field, you’re getting everything he has,” Gase said. “His work ethic, the way he is in the building — everybody respects him.”
Hayes joins defensive ends Cam Wake, Robert Quinn (Hayes’ former teammate with the Rams), Andre Branch and Charles Harris and defensive tackles Jordan Phillips, Davon Godchaux and Vincent Taylor.
Denney, 39, has been with Dolphins since 2005.