BEREA, Ohio -- The sight of Odell Beckham Jr. sitting all alone on the Browns’ bench and deep in thought for awhile after Sunday’s 47-42 loss to the Chargers felt like foreshadowing.
With just under three weeks to try to trade him before the Nov. 2 deadline, the Browns should make every effort to do it for the good of all involved.
It’s not that Beckham, who will turn 29 next month, isn’t still the superstar receiver who makes eye-popping catches and can produce 1,000-yard seasons. It’s just that it’s not happening here and it might never.
The sequence of events during Sunday’s game, the ones that led to that pensive postgame moment, indicated that Beckham and the Browns perhaps still aren’t a fit, and that both Baker Mayfield and Beckham might be better off on different teams.
Beckham, who needs the ball early to get in the zone, didn’t get his first target until 8:12 remained in the half, and when the easy fourth-and-2 pass hit him in the hands, he bobbled and dropped it. It was uncharacteristic for Beckham, who catches that ball 10 times out of 10, blindfolded and often with one hand. If he hauls it in, the Browns likely go up 17-13. Fortunately for them, they scored 10 points in the final 54 seconds of the half on Kareem Hunt’s 3-yard blast, and Chase McLaughlin’s field goal.
Mayfield looked to Beckham only two more times, once for 13 yards on a sideline route, and once for 7 yards on the play before David Njoku’s 71-yard fourth-quarter score. Two catches for 20 yards by the team’s highest-paid player at $15.75 million in a game in which the Browns netted 531 yards of offense aren’t going to cut it. It also came a week after their 2-of-7 for 27 yards hookup in the 14-7 victory over Minnesota.
Beckham’s three targets in L.A. tied for his fewest in a full game, which also happened last season during the 38-7 loss to the Steelers, when he caught two for 25 yards. In his 59 games with the Giants, he was never targeted only three times.
What’s more, Beckham’s 20 receiving yards marked the seventh time that he and Mayfield have been in the 20s in their 26 games together — once every 3.7 games. For comparison’s sake, Beckham was in the 20s only three times in his 59 games in New York — once every 20 games. At his current clip, he’ll finish with 620 yards in 15 games, which would be far below his yearly average and personal standards. As he said in 2019, his 1,035 yards was a bad season compared to his usual production.
As for those coveted 100-yard games, he’s had only two in Cleveland — one for every 13 games. In New York, he had 23 — one for every 2.5 games.
Part of Beckham’s problem is that he landed here in Freddie Kitchens’ maelstrom of a season, a disaster for everyone involved. He then tore his ACL in Week 7 of last season, fittingly on a play on which he and Mayfield weren’t on the same page.
Before the injury, Kevin Stefanski devised ways to get Beckham involved, but they often didn’t involve Mayfield. In his best game as a Brown, the 49-38 victory over Dallas last season, Beckham caught a TD pass from Jarvis Landry and one from Mayfield, and then scored the game clincher on a 50-yard reverse. He singlehandedly won that game, and without it, the Browns were home for the postseason.
It’s precisely the kind of game Beckham is capable of, but it hasn’t happened enough in a Browns uniform.
After Beckham’s drop, Mayfield seemed reluctant to throw the ball to him — which is unlike him. He often goes right back to a receiver after a drop to show trust and boost his confidence. But Mayfield didn’t bother to look his way on a crucial second-and-9 on the second-to-last drive when Beckham flashed wide open on a deep crossing route. Coming off a week in which he was ripped mercilessly for his horrible game in Minnesota, Mayfield opted for the deep route to Rashard Higgins, with whom he has more natural chemistry. It was incomplete largely because of unflagged contact by Derwin James, but it was clear that Mayfield had no eyes for Beckham in that clutch moment.
In fact, there seemed to be a concerted effort to rebuild Mayfield’s confidence with old faithfuls like David Njoku (7-of-7 targets, 149 yards, 1 TD) and Higgins (3-of-5 targets for 29 yards, 1 TD), and his new go-to guy Donovan Peoples-Jones (5-of-6, 70 yards), with whom Mayfield connects easily.
Another player he’s struggled to mesh with, Austin Hooper, got no targets in L.A. after their 1-for-5 performance in Minnesota for 11 yards.
Mayfield also made it clear after the game — without using Beckham’s name — that the drop was the difference. It wasted a beautiful 42-yard catch-and-run on the opening play of the drive by Peoples-Jones, and took place in the sacred red zone.
“We left too many points on the board in the first half,’’ Mayfield said. “I don’t think it would’ve been the same outcome with needing a touchdown to tie the ballgame up late in the game if we had done that early on.’’
While Mayfield was busy completing passes to other receivers and Nick Chubb was plowing through the Chargers’ defense for 161 yards rushing, Beckham was blocking his tail off and serving as a decoy on plays such as Higgins’ 7-yard TD in the second quarter. Higgy was left all alone at the right pylon while everyone else went with Beckham on the left. A team player, Beckham — who played a team-high 81% of the receiver snaps — was happy to contribute, but at $15.75 million, he’s an expensive blocker and decoy.
“For one, the run game, he was off the charts physicality wise,’’ Mayfield said. “We talk about our identity is run-first and we’re a physical team, and we’re trying to finish people in the run game and dominate that. You go back and watch him in the run game, and he’s physical. You do that, and then go look at Rashard Higgins’ touchdown and see how many guys are covering Odell compared to Higgy, and you will see exactly what kind of value he brings to us.
“We have to take advantage of his opportunities when they’re there because they are not going to come that often. That is the emphasis right now.”
Stefanski, who didn’t call any reverses or jet sweeps for Beckham on those final two drives, echoed that sentiment. He also wasn’t targeted on any of the eight passes.
“As I’ve mentioned before, he’s a dynamic football player,’’ Stefanski said. “He’s very front of mind when we are game planning and when we are calling plays. Sometimes the defense dictates if the ball goes elsewhere, and we are comfortable with that because we have good players elsewhere.”
With Jarvis Landry due back soon from his sprained MCL, things could open up for Beckham and he could be downright dangerous going forward. L.A. was only his third game back from the torn ACL, and it takes time. If Beckham turns it around, he could be the difference in the playoffs like he felt he could’ve been last year in Kansas City.
But Mayfield’s numbers were dramatically better after Beckham’s injury last season, and he seems to play with more confidence and authority when his three-time Pro Bowler is off the field.
Maybe that will change in the coming weeks, but the Browns might be better served by trying to trade him and cutting their losses. Beckham is also essentially in a contract year with no guaranteed money after this season and wants to produce at a high level. He’d likely be better off where he’ll be showcased and restored to his former luster.
The problem is that teams aren’t clamoring to pick up such an enormous salary at this point in a season. Perhaps the only way it would happen is if the Browns assume the big contract of another player who needs a change of scenery. Some have proposed a Michael Thomas-for-Beckham swap, but Thomas, the disgruntled former Ohio State and current Saints star who has a $10.1 million cap hit this season, is coming off ankle surgery and hasn’t played yet.
With Beckham essentially a one-year rental, teams will be reluctant to give up much for him.
Even the Patriots’ five-time Pro Bowl cornerback Stephon Gilmore, the 2019 NFL Defensive Player of the Year, drew only a 2023 sixth-round pick from the Panthers in a trade last week. The Browns also wouldn’t want to deal Beckham to a team that might face them in the playoffs.
For the Browns, it would be more about clearing some cap space this season, and possibly getting a good player in return, than it would be about draft pick compensation. It would also be addition by subtraction in this high stakes season by removing a player from the equation that Mayfield hasn’t connected with.
It’s not to say they’re not friends and that they haven’t tried. They’ve worked tirelessly on their relationship on-and-off the field, and are closer than ever before. They’ve also worked hard off to the side on route details and have looked great in practice, albeit with no rush or contact.
Undergoing a self-described “spiritual reconstruction” in the offseason, Beckham has maintained a great attitude and has been the model teammate. He came in determined to roll with whatever the universe presented, and wanted a chance to win a Super Bowl with his BFF.
But if it’s not working, it might not be worth the national distraction and corresponding angst. If he’s your deep threat and you can’t connect with him deep, it might not be worth the trouble. The Browns could try to get the ball in Beckham’s hands on shorter routes and let him get yards after the catch, but he draws a lot of extra attention for that to work consistently.
If speedster rookie receiver Anthony Schwartz wasn’t still in catch-up mode after missing so much time with a hamstring injury, it would be almost a no-brainer to deal Beckham. An argument for keeping him would be the hope that it all comes together and he’s everything the Browns thought he’d be when John Dorsey traded for him in 2019.
But with Landry coming back soon, there will be even fewer balls to go around, and with another fave target on the field, Mayfield could be even more reluctant to go to Beckham with the game on the line.
For Beckham’s part, he’s a Hall of Fame-caliber receiver whose career has been derailed here. He deserves a chance to shine on the field and get back to being one of the most exciting players in the NFL.
It’s risky to give up on him too soon, but it might be a risk worth taking.
-
Get the latest Browns merchandise: Here’s where you can order Cleveland Browns gear online, including jerseys, T-shirts, hoodies, hats and much more.
More Browns coverage
Mayfield expects Murray to have trash talk ready Sunday
JOK shrugs off throat contusion, will play important role against Cardinals
On Garrett, Clowney and other Browns sitting out: Berea Report
Browns-Cardinals tickets: How to get them and how much they cost
Mayfield on Murray, Beckham: Transcript
Stefanski on Owusu-Koramoah, Clowney: Transcript
How Mayfield, OBJ can get it together: Terry’s Talkin’ podcast
Wills, Ward, Newsome practice Wednesday; top DEs, RBs sit out
What Browns fans should worry about? Pluto
Mayfield and Murray face off in Cleveland: Crowquill
What should Browns add at trade deadline? Orange and Brown Talk
Cards’ Jones tests positive for COVID-19
Hubbard, Stewart, Janovich placed on injured reserve
"try" - Google News
October 14, 2021 at 05:28AM
https://ift.tt/3p1EeyX
The Browns should try to trade Odell Beckham Jr. by the Nov. 2 deadline: Mary Kay Cabot - cleveland.com
"try" - Google News
https://ift.tt/3b52l6K
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "The Browns should try to trade Odell Beckham Jr. by the Nov. 2 deadline: Mary Kay Cabot - cleveland.com"
Post a Comment