Training camps for NFL teams may be just two months away, but free agents aren’t done signing with new teams.
On Friday, wide receiver Jarvis Landry took a one-year deal to join the New Orleans Saints after spending four productive years with the Cleveland Browns.
He made the Pro Bowl twice while in The Land, and many credit him for helping to change the culture of the team after years and years of ineptitude and mediocrity.
Landry was a big reason why the Browns won their first playoff game in about a quarter-century when they defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2020 NFL Playoffs.
Now, another former Browns wideout is getting some interest from an AFC South team, the Indianapolis Colts.
Former #Browns WR Antonio Callaway will be at #Colts minicamp, source said, on a tryout basis. The 2018 fourth round pick recently spent time with the #Dolphins and #Chiefs.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 13, 2022
Calloway Has Had Potential, But He Hasn’t Put It Together
The 5-foot-11, 200-pound receiver is a native of the Miami area, and he started to make his name as a freshman at the University of Florida.
He immediately got lots of playing time at wide receiver, and he also moonlighted as a punt and kick returner.
As a returner, he was named an All-American in that rookie season of 2015, recording 79 yards on kick returns and 435 yards and two touchdowns on punt returns.
The Gators weren’t expected to do much when the season started, but they won each of their first six games with the help of Calloway.
His career highlight is arguably that early season game versus the Tennessee Volunteers, in which he caught a pass for a 63-yard game-winning touchdown after facing a fourth down and long.
This #TBT seems relevant…
A year ago…Antonio Callaway's game-winning 63-yard TD in #Gators comeback vs Tennessee #Vols pic.twitter.com/IwBMKvMVHc
— Grace Remington (@GraceRemiTV) September 22, 2016
But once the season ended, everything turned upside down for Calloway.
He and teammate Treon Harris were accused of assault by a woman, and although the charges didn’t stick to Calloway, he was suspended for months, and it may have played a role in him dropping to the fourth round of the 2018 NFL Draft to the Browns.
He showed flashes of promise as a rookie, playing in all 16 contests and starting 11 of them while putting up 586 yards and five touchdowns.
Calloway started the season fighting for the fourth wide receiver spot, but once Josh Gordon was traded to the New England Patriots, Calloway became a starter.
Since then, he has faced multi-game suspensions for violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy, and he hasn’t suited up for an official game since December of 2020.
Will Calloway Finally Turn Things Around?
There are plenty of examples of talented players who had personal issues and didn’t realize any of their potential in their first few seasons in the pros, only to find their way onto a team that had a strong culture and blossom as a star.
It appears that the Browns are moving past their troubled history, as they have supplanted Baker Mayfield with Deshaun Watson and added four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Amari Cooper.
The Colts may not be considered a Super Bowl contender, but they will have a veteran QB in Matt Ryan this coming season.
Hopefully Calloway will get his act together and become his best self.
NEXT: Jarvis Landry Signs With New Orleans Saints
It appears that the Browns are moving past their troubled history, as they have supplanted Baker Mayfield with Deshaun Watson 😂
Moving past troubled history by replacing a respectful team player with one that’s accused of 20+ counts of sexual misconduct. That sounds about right for the Browns and their disfunctional thinking. Next up replacing Chubb with a player to be named accused of 6 murder accusations.