Odell Beckham Jr. might be on the move again after spending just one season with the Cleveland Browns. Is this the right decision for the Browns?
Rewind to March 2019 when the Cleveland Browns traded for then New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. It was a HUGE move for a team that appeared to be trending in the right direction, as they had what looked to be their quarterback of the future in Baker Mayfield and now gifted him a wide receiver who could make the craziest of catches.
Now, after a season filled with ups and downs, there are rumors that the Browns could be shipping OBJ off to another team just a little over a year after acquiring him.
While some might question this trade (assuming it does indeed go through), it’s a good move for the Browns for a slew of reasons.
For one, there’s the drama aspect that comes along with having Beckham on your roster. The guy is as talented as receivers come, but he can’t keep his mouth shut sometimes and that’s the biggest con with him. It’s why the Giants traded him away and it probably has played a factor into why the Browns are already willing to part ways with him.
This past year alone, Beckham was involved in a few dramatic moments, including throwing a fit about not being able to wear a fancy watch on the field. He was also mad about his lack of targets, which isn’t something you want from a receiver when the offense is still trying to get off the ground and be consistent.
Second, Beckham has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career. He did play in all 16 games for Cleveland so it hasn’t been an issue there yet, but during his time with the Giants, he played in all 16 regular season games just once (2016).
Staying healthy is huge, especially at a high-profile position like wide receiver, so it’s only fair for that be a knock on Beckham when looking at his career to this point. If he does go to Minnesota, he won’t be as pressured to be the guy due to Cleveland also having Adam Thielen, but Thielen also struggles with the injury bug.
Lastly, while Beckham is a good player, the Browns can find someone to replace him who isn’t dramatic or injury prone. They still have Jarvis Landry on their roster and the 2020 NFL Draft could go down as the best wide receiver draft class we’ve ever seen. Finding a receiver in this year’s draft should be a piece of cake and that’s a position the Browns should definitely look to target early on, especially if this trade goes through.
It says a lot about Beckham that he had a 1,000 yard season with the Browns and that’s considered mediocre, but for all of the talking he’s done throughout his career, many had probably thought he was going to put them over the top and get them to the playoffs. That didn’t happen obviously, as Cleveland won just six games and were one of the most disappointing teams in 2019.
Beckham could thrive with the Vikings, but the fact that he’s 27 years old and potentially about to be with his third NFL team should say a lot about him. He’s a lot of talk and while he can back it up, having someone like him with a team like the Browns is tricky because as we learned this past season, Mayfield isn’t quite ready to be a superstar quarterback just yet.
The 2020 season is HUGE for Baker Mayfield and the Browns, so getting rid of any distractions is a good move by Cleveland. They went all-in for OBJ and it might go down as one of the more disappointing trades, but hey, they tried.
If this trade goes through, the Browns will land a second and fifth round pick for the 2021 NFL Draft and those can go a long way in helping this team compete in the future.
The Odell Beckham Jr. era might not have panned out in Cleveland, but they can salvage their future by trading him this offseason.