NFL Trade Deadline player to watch No. 2: Odell Beckham, Jr., WR, Cleveland Browns
This is one that seems inevitable.
Odell Beckham, Jr. joined the Cleveland Browns back in 2019 when John Dorsey traded a first and third-round pick as well as safety Jabrill Peppers for the All-Pro wideout. The goal was to give Baker Mayfield the deep threat he needed to become a star in this league.
The problem is, OBJ and Mayfield just never got on the same page. While Beckham did have over 1,000-yards in 2019, it just felt like they had to work incredibly hard for every inch. Then in 2020, things got worse between them and it all ended with a torn ACL for OBJ.
With him back on the field in 2021, the rapport is still not there. On top of that, Beckham has also begun to drop passes which isn’t like him. To his credit, he’s said all the right things and isn’t a distraction but he could still use a fresh start.
Perhaps the Browns will give him that and it could be good for them as well. For whatever reason, Mayfield seems to play better when No. 13 isn’t on the field. There’s no reason for this to be happening, but it is. That’s why it would make sense to see what they could get for Beckham ahead of the 2021 NFL Trade Deadline.