Jarvis Landry: ‘We’re making progress’ toward new contract

The Miami Dolphins and wide receiver Jarvis Landry have been trading barbs at each other over the past few weeks, with both sides seeming to stake out their positions on the monetary value to which they would agree to a new contract. Landry, who will be a free agent in mid-March if a new deal is not reached, seems to want to be paid among the league’s elite wide receivers, while the Dolphins want to pay him a few millions dollars a year less than that, seeing him as an elite slot receiver, but not someone worth the $14-$15 million per year salary Landry seems to want.

Recent speculation among the media - and the fans - has been that the Dolphins and Landry are headed toward a divorce. The more people write about the situation, the bleaker it seems to become.

On Thursday, however, there seemed to be at least a slight breakthrough of light. After reports that the Dolphins and Landry had not traded any contract numbers since Landry’s agent countered a Dolphins proposal in December, Landry, who is at the Pro Bowl this week, told ESPN, “We’re making progress. We’re working. Hopefully it’ll work into something, but honestly, I’m here to enjoy the Pro Bowl and let the rest take care of itself.”

It is not a lot, and it does not sound like they are close to a deal, but it is not something that is going to happen tomorrow. Also on Thursday, Landry toward NFL Network of the contract negotiations, “They’re moving. They’re moving slowly, but they’re moving. And again for me, [for] the most part I’ve been out trying to enjoy my time with my family, with these other guys -- these talented guys around the league, and just letting the rest take care of itself.”

He added, “I would love to [stay with the Dolphins]. I would love to, but understanding [that] it’s a business -- one that I don’t truly understand -- but again, I love the game of football and that’s the most important thing to me and if I can do that, that’s all that matters.”

The Dolphins have until March 14 to either re-sign Landry or risk losing him on the free agent market.