Odell Beckham Jr. not opting out with Browns despite comments on season
Odell Beckham Jr. expressed concern about the safety of the 2020 season.
The first season of Odell Beckham Jr. playing with the Cleveland Browns didn’t go particularly well, a statement that applies both to the wide receiver’s performance and the team’s showing amid great expectations. But with Kevin Stefanski taking over at head coach and with roster improvement this offseason, there is hope for the 2020 NFL season that Cleveland can bounce back.
Of course, that hinges upon Beckham playing in 2020. And if you look at an interview released on Monday by The Wall Street Journal (subscription required), that might not seem like the case.
In that interview, the mercurial and supremely talented wide receiver stated that he doesn’t think the 2020 season should happen amid the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States. He noted a lack of planning by the NFL and the worsening situation with the coronavirus in the country as reasons for why he didn’t believe that campaign should take place.
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While the release of the interview sent people and fans into a frenzy, it’s worth noting that it was conducted two weeks ago. That was before the NFL and NFLPA reached an agreement on COVID-19 protocols prior to the start of training camp. It was also prior to Beckham reporting to Browns training camp on July 28 for preliminary testing.
The Browns don’t have to worry about Odell Beckham Jr. opting out.
Despite his comments in the interview, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported on Monday that Beckham has no intention of opting out of the 2020 NFL season. The report stated that Beckham has seen the protocol put forth by the league and the Browns and is comfortable with them at this point.
As always seems to be the case with Odell Beckham Jr., anything he says is blown up in a major way. The Browns wide receiver is an enigma but an extremely talented one who is going to play an integral part in the immediate future of the Cleveland offense.
Subsequently, it’s good news for the Browns that he’s not planning on opting out. The development of quarterback Baker Mayfield and the overall success on that side of the ball hinges on the dynamic wideout being healthy and getting back to form, something that wasn’t the case last season in Cleveland.
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His change of heart since the agreement between the league and the NFLPA and after seeing the practices in place is also a great sign for the NFL. While players on various teams have chosen to opt-out, that a star of Beckham’s caliber is comfortable enough to change his tune from thinking the season shouldn’t happen just two weeks ago is a burst of optimism.