The November 2nd trade deadline has come and gone, and Odell Beckham Jr. remains a Cleveland Brown. Among the highly anticipated trades we waited for, Odell’s was consistently discussed. It seemed only fitting that given how year three of the failed experiment was panning out, the Browns would wipe their hands clean from the disaster. However, as announced by ESPN’s Dianna Russini, the Browns had no plans on trading the once-great receiver.
The Cleveland Browns have no plans on trading Odell Beckham Jr. by today’s trade deadline, per sources.
— Dianna Russini (@diannaESPN) November 2, 2021
I was told there haven’t been any offers that would make sense for the organization.
Many were calling on the Browns to move Odell Beckham Jr. after three straight disappointing seasons. Season three, by far and away, has been the most difficult to watch for Browns fans. LeBron James and even Odell’s father took to social media clamoring for trade.
OBJ will show again why he’s special. WR1 #FreeOBJ
— LeBron James (@KingJames) November 2, 2021
Odell Beckham Sr. posts video putting blame for his son’s lack of production on Baker Mayfield. https://t.co/4YLs5BFPPk
— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) November 2, 2021
Yet, with no substantial offers, the Browns held onto Odell Beckham Jr., holding firm in their belief that Odell was to remain a pivotal piece in their offense.
Sources: #Browns have been listening to offers for WR Odell Beckham, Jr., but nothing has been appealing and Odell won’t be moved. Internally, HC Kevin Stefanski has expressed his desire to keep OBJ, believing that he remains an integral part of his offense maximizing potential.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) November 2, 2021
This Makes No Sense
On the season, Odell Beckham Jr. has compiled 17 catches for 232 yards and no touchdowns in six games. The season prior, in only seven games, Odell caught 23 passes for 319 yards and three touchdowns. His numbers weren’t impressive then, and somehow, they’ve actually gotten worse. His best season, arguably, was his first season in Cleveland. A season that also just so happens to be Baker Mayfield’s worst season as a pro.
In the end, no matter how you look at it, the Odell Beckham Jr. experiment in Cleveland has been a failure.
Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski claims that Odell is a vital piece in their offense, yet he’s barely targeted, and even when he is, there’s little to no success. At this point, Odell Beckham Jr. is nothing more than an overpaid decoy. And while I don’t believe the blame falls solely at the feet of Odell, fair or not, he hasn’t fit in. In Cleveland’s most recent loss to the Steelers, Odell caught just one ball for six yards. It was his only target of the game and was the lowest amount of catches and yards he’s ever had after playing a full game played.
There are only two reasons I can think of as to why the Browns won’t trade Odell Beckham Jr. Either the organization is trying to prove that the trade wasn’t a bust, or they know his lack of production isn’t his fault. The Browns could always release Odell tomorrow, which would put him on the waiver wire. If claimed by another team, the Browns would be off the hook financially. With Mayfield’s contract coming to an end here soon, the Browns could be looking at the bigger picture.
Odell Can Help Another Team
Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. never quite seemed to click. For whatever reason, Baker’s numbers are worse when he throws Odell’s way. The two put on a good face at the podium and on social media, but it’s clear that there’s a disconnect somewhere. Odell’s been out of the spotlight the last three seasons, but at the age of 28, Odell Beckham Jr. still has plenty of football left in him.
There are plenty of teams that could’ve used the services of Odell Beckham Jr.
The Packers, Patriots, Saints, Raiders, Chiefs, and plenty of other teams could’ve revitalized his career. The Browns did get called regarding Odell’s availability, but nobody blew them away with an offer. More than likely, Odell will have to wait until this off-season before he’s finally moved.
