Jets sign Dawan Landry
Jacksonville Jaguars safety Dawan Landry (26) celebrates with the fans after stopping the Baltimore Ravens during the fourth quarter of an NFL football game, Monday, Oct. 24, 2011, in Jacksonville, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) Credit: AP Photo/Chris O'Meara
The Jets announced Tuesday that they have signed free-agent Dawan Landry -- the older brother of hard-hitting safety LaRon.
Dawan, also a safety, will now be reunited with Rex Ryan and Dennis Thurman after spending the past two seasons in Jacksonville. LaRon's free-agent departure to Indy (along with the Cardinals' signing of veteran Yeremiah Bell) helped opened the door for Dawan to join the Jets following his release last month from the Jaguars.
Coincidentally, it was Dawan who convinced LaRon to sign as a free agent with the Jets last offseason. After playing five seasons in Baltimore with Ryan, Thurman and Mike Pettine, Dawan knew his brother would be a good fit in Rex's defense -- and he was right. LaRon was named to the Pro Bowl for the first time in his career.
Now, it's Dawan's turn to prove he can be a hard-hitting safety in the Jets secondary.
He started all but two games over the past seven seasons and in 2012 finished with 100 tackles in 16 starts, according to NFL.com.
"I think Dawan Landry is one of the most underrated guys in this league," Ryan said in December, prior to the Jets' Week 14 road-game in Jacksonville. "He’s a young man that I had at Baltimore and, as everybody I’m sure knows, the brother of LaRon. Two different personalities, to say the least, and they play the exact same position and all that stuff. I’ve had both of them.
"They are so different and it’s just amazing how they play the same position and they’re brothers and all that, but their personalities are so different. And their games are a little different. But he’s doing a great job out there. I think he’s definitely an impact player for them as LaRon is for us."
