With the other thread reaching 10 pages long and the subject matter changing to a 'past tense',... I hope it's ok to start a new thread, hopefully to to take the conversation into


Report: Odell Beckham Jr. asked to be traded multiple times

Posted by Mike Florio on November 5, 2021, 9:15 AM EDT

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.c...am-jr-asked-to-be-traded-multiple-times/


It’s been a lot longer in the making than it seems.

Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. asked to be traded on multiple occasions this year, according to Mary Kay Cabot of the Cleveland Plain Dealer. He first requested a trade in the offseason, while recovering from a torn ACL suffered against the Bengals last year.
His most recent request came after what will end up being his last game with the team, Sunday’s home loss to the Steelers.

The Browns tried to trade Beckham, but they found no takers. Discussions occurred with the Saints, but the two teams couldn’t agree on compensation for the Browns or the amount of Beckham’s remaining salary that the Browns would pay.

The situation became public on Tuesday morning, with Odell Beckham Sr. posting a video that showed various occasions in his OBJ was open and quarterback Baker Mayfield failed to get Beckham the ball. Then, LeBron James tweeted, “#FreeOBJ.” Per Cabot, the social-media campaign “created a firestorm” for the Browns, and it “left Mayfield beside himself.”

It’s ultimately going to leave Beckham with a new team. As PFT reported last night, and as others have confirmed, the Browns plan to release Beckham today, his 29th birthday.

Too bad we couldnt trade him earlier

Wondering to myself. hmmm could we sign somebody or will Switzer or Jo Jo get signed off the practice squad?

As expected, Browns are releasing Odell Beckham Jr.

Posted by Mike Florio on November 5, 2021, 10:11 AM EDT
link

It’s over in Cleveland. Where it goes from here remains to be seen.

The Browns have released receiver Odell Beckham Jr. PFT reported on Thursday night that the plan was to make the release happen on Friday.

“After careful consideration, internal discussions and conversations with Odell and his representation, we’ve determined that it is in the best interest of all parties involved that Odell no longer play for the Cleveland Browns,” G.M. Andrew Berry said in a statement released by the team. “We appreciate all his efforts and contributions while in Cleveland, but we’ve just reached a point where it is best that we move forward as a team without Odell. We are finalizing the process of granting Odell his release and we wish him well as he continues his career.”

Because the transaction is occurring after the trade deadline, Beckham must pass through waivers.

The two sides are believed to have agreed on a revised contract that presumably limits the team’s financial obligation to Beckham and/or spreads some of the cap burden to future years by converting some of the salary into a signing bonus. The negotiations undoubtedly tried to find a sweet spot that would reduce Beckham’s pay from Cleveland in order to allow him to get his wish to play elsewhere. At some point, however, the remaining salary becomes sufficiently low to entice a team to claim Beckham on waivers. Perhaps a team for which Beckham doesn’t want to play.

One way to avoid that outcome would be, as someone far smarter than me (it’s a low bar) pointed out last night, to insert significant per-game roster bonuses into the revised contract. This would dissuade a team from claiming the contract while also limiting Cleveland’s total payment to Beckham.

It will be interesting to see the terms of the revised deal, and then it will be interesting to see whether someone claims Beckham.

Go Higgins!

I agree, it would have been great if our front office took care of this problem before came to all this 'drama'.

Odie didn't want to play for the Browns and let the Browns know it during the offseason.

WHY?

Why couldn't the front office get the job done before it became a problem for the entire locker room?

DPJ and Higgy would be very big for us

The tipping point with OBJ, throughout his career, has been how his "headspace" will affect the team and his production on the field.

If he asked for a trade before the season, I consider this situation a bit of a failure on the part of the FO. Get your third rounder and run like hell. It would be different if there was any indication that there was about to be some magical "breakthrough" on the field of play -- there was none.

I realize he was rehabbing, but it seems (to me) we did ourselves no favors during that time. The whole world was watching his rehab videos, listening to glistening commentary from teammates about his progress, etc... Our coaches and FO were like "OBJ's making progress but it's going to take time". I would have been like "It's been a remarkable rehab and he seems to be way ahead of schedule. It's a testament to his hard work, desire to play the game he loves and incredible athleticism to come out of this looking better than before".

I'm sure the albatross of a high salary would have played a role in any negotiations (or lack thereof). Since that would likely have had a negative effect on our "return on investment" we may have blinded ourselves to the mantra of "let's just get to next year and no dead money". Big mistake, hope we learned our lesson.

Rule #1 in the "guardrail" of using analytics -- know when to cut your losses.

We shoulda traded him after the Dallas game last year lol

Because he was coming off a serious injury. His trade value was low and he had more value as a vet WR already on the roster. I doubt folks thought his value would continue to decline, much less the soap opera that's ensued.

It's a loss. It sucks for everyone. Take it, minimize future damage, and move on. We are still a talented squad. This could end up being a positive if it galvanizes the locker room and allows the WR room to slot better into place.

so is this ALL BECAUSE OF HIS FATHER? We didn't try to trade him. So I find it hard to believe we were gonna release him until this happened

In light of new information it is pretty obvious what has taken place.

He sought a trade. Did not want to be here. Lied about him only being interested in winning and not about his numbers.

Cooked a scheme with his father (And probably Lebron) to highlight his case. The Browns could not find a taker. Nobody was interested in paying him and willing to give up much.

He is a 29 year old dimished player who is often hurt. His days of making premier money most likely over.

He never did much in his time here. His presence was nothing more than a sideshow literally. Watch Odell warm up making one handed catches.

I am glad we are done with him.

I doubt he will be healthy enough to be picked up.

Even if he passes a physical, he's one good hit from being sidelined again. He's obviously playing in pain.

500 receiving yards in 2 years. Major knee injury last year. Multiple (maybe intentional?) key/4th down drops this year. Asked to be traded multiple times. Total OBJ move... 🗑🔥👋

Those third and fourth down drops to kill drives won't help his cause.

Good riddance to bad rubbish. Team will be fine without him although with all the injuries I doubt we see that this season. It's going to be a long year in Cleveland. Go Browns!

No matter what the outcome with the other side of the equation (Baker), as soon as OBJ went silent on his dad's video, he had to go. Too bad. I hope that he finds what he's looking for...my guess is he has a few big games left in him, but not some rise to the status he clearly feels he deserves.

and then we go back to the talk of perhaps Baker intentionally avoiding throwing it OBJ's way, and you have to ask yourself: How long have the other guys on the offense known the real score and if they have, how warranted would Baker have been to truly be wary of throwing Odell's way?

Since the info has come out that he asked for a trade multiple times during the offseason, you HAVE to think that the guys weren't as blindsided by all of this as they are saying in the media. I suspect that they're all just being dutiful and putting up the wall and keeping what they know internal, but the one unnamed player that commented on the sort of guy Odell has been does lend to the idea that he hasn't been all that the public knowledge image paints. If that's the case, then there is a REALLY good chance that OBJ has consistently just not been where he's supposed to be, and if nothing else THIS explains the perception that we are a better offense without Odell than we are with him, because if you simply insert a player that DOES go where the play calls for them to be, your chances of success increase. No matter how much talent he has or how open he thinks he is getting, if he isn't where he is supposed to be, he is hurting the offense.

I must just be old school and believe that players should live up to their word to play under a contract, rather than connive an exit strategy that amounts to a temper tantrum executed by everyone around you but you. My old man eyes see it like this:

1. OBJ decided for whatever reason he didn't want to play in Cleveland even though he had a binding contract.
2. When he didn't get his requested trade, he decided to be just enough of a pain that he would fly under the radar of "conduct detrimental" to keep his "innocent" act afloat.
3. When the trade deadline got close, I think he may have manipulated just enough whining that Dad took up for his son recognizing the power of social media.
4. Really? Free OBJ...A millionaire acting like another millionaire was "oppressed" by playing football for the Browns.

In the end, I think the Browns were left no choice unless they wanted some pouting 29 year old on Social Media distracting the team. IMO OBJ is manipulative, classless and has zero integrity. Good luck to the next team of sportswriters that will hail his arrival.

I knew there had to be more behind the scenes. Actually, I suspect there's even more than we have heard so far.

I wonder how Landry feels about all this. I mean, they are lifelong friends who watched their greatest dream go up in smoke. He seems like the kind of guy to put blinders on when he steps between the lines but it has to really suck.

He wanted to be the Sports Center highlight flashy razzle dazzle player here and he couldn't so he wanted to go. The Browns was never the team for him, especially in Ski's system. I watched him carefully on TV, when I went to games and on Building the Browns. He was always to himself (or with Jarvis) and never celebrated with other teammates. He might as well had been off to the side by himself. He was the most distant without being distant player I have seen. I do think he tried to make it work and wanted to be here the first 2 years. After that he was over it. Maybe he'll do us a favor and stay out of our division. I wish him the best though and it sucks we couldn't get anything for him.

Gonna add a few things here....OBJ will go out to the Raiders now.

I also feel his slow recovery was more of a lack of interest than anything else. I read that he was upset he went to Cleveland to start with...I wouldnt touch him with a 10 foot pole if I was a team.

100%. Wonder if we ever hear a full and accurate account.

I agree, but then I suppose one might wonder why we couldn't work things out? There was also the injury situation that might scare off teams when his salary was taken in to account.

I guess it just boiled down to we weren't going to get anything for the guy, so we decided to try and make it work.

I really hope the jets or Detroit pick him up off waivers. The Jets would absolutely be hilarious.

good call. maybe Bake started avoiding him when he could tell OBJ was no longer "in it" and was dropping passes etc until he got to the point where he ran off the field instead of celebrating a touchdown. It is what it is.

To piggyback off that a bit, the "intentionally avoiding throwing it to OBJ", to this point, has always seemed a bit trite. But now that we have more details about OBJ's m.o. going all the way back to the offseason, this situation may be confounded by Baker's attitude and ego (food for thought since it's easy to pile on OBJ right now). Baker has had a chip on his shoulder since forever. He's obviously a "team" guy and has showed great maturity since a few early indiscretions (Duke Johnson incident stands out).

I truly see Bake as a "team first" guy... You never have to wonder when you see a QB with a broken wing chase the marker for a 1st down, dive, slide into the bench and then jump up to pump up the crowd. So, if Baker sees OBJ as "me first", reads the constant narrative that he can't "get him the ball", has legitimate trust issues given OBJ's performance (route running, dropping balls, trying to make circus catches, etc...), maybe the mentality as soon as he steps on the field is "F that guy".

Not saying it's necessarily true, not something that will ever be admitted to, not something a coach or FO would want in their franchise QB, but definitley could have played a role in this mystery.

To be honest - I think it would be a given that it would influence Baker's trust and therefore his decision making. And I think it would be 100% natural to be influenced. [1] Not being in the right place (speculation at this point but the reporter mentioned this yesterday in her segment and I'd bet a pretty penny there's truth to that narrative) [2] Dropping balls when it does get thrown his way - in crucial 3rd and 4th downs. [3] Clearly not wanting to be part of the team.

OBJ was still has the most targets on the team - so even if it influenced Baker, Baker still threw the ball when it seemed like the best option. If Baker was influenced - I don't think it's remotely justifiable for what OBJ has done.

So we basically paid him to leave and not be able to choose his own team. With his salary being near the minimum someone will for sure claim him now.

Very good point.

Wonder who buys the Rolls...

I got a ham sandwich for him.

Most of what I would say has been said...

I wonder how Jarvis will take this. Jarvis seems like the consummate pro and I suspect he will continue to play like that for the rest of the season but it wouldn't surprise me, especially if we don't start clicking in the 2nd half, if he wants out in the offseason.

He said he came here to win, we won, we won our first playoff game since my college age kids were born. Granted, we did most of it without him. In the offseason, we were 1 of the darling super bowl predictions. And he wants to leave? Yes, that does say loud and clear that he didn't come here just to win, he wanted his numbers and he wasn't going to get them. I can't believe a guy with his high profile asked for a trade in the offseason and the media didn't know it. They seem to know everything.

For the on-field rest of the season, we will be fine. We need DPJ back more than we need OBJ to be happy. Hopefully, if his presence was a distraction affecting playcalling, affecting Baker, they will improve.

Landry is scheduled to make $16.5M next year. If he doesn't take a pay cut or restructure his contract he'll be gone next year.

The Browns could save $15M by releasing him in the offseason.

https://www.spotrac.com/nfl/cleveland-browns/jarvis-landry-14473/

I would like to see him stay in the AFCN ! let him divide one of their locker rooms !

I just saw a comment from someone else that made a good point on Twitter
"I think Jarvis was more of friend to OBJ then OBJ was to Jarvis"

j/c...

I always bring this up in conversation in telling someone about Chubb . My wife doesn't watch football and I was telling her about Chubb

Why couldnt we work it out? I think because he’s not as good, he’s expensive, he’s injury prone, and he’s a selfish player

Learning that he wanted traded before the season , says a lot. The team was talked about in terms of a superbowl contender, this tells me, that it was never about being on a winner, but being the center of the conversation and personal stats that drove him. Knowing the team had a chance at a championship and still wanting out blows up his "just want to win" narrative.

As for Jarvis, I don't think this will have any effect on him. He is a pro, and a guy who wants to win more than anything. He is probably glad he is not in the middle of a battle between his best friend and his team mates. I don't see this as hurting the team, but actually taking away a distraction.

I always looked at Odell as being a little immature. A woe is me kind of guy. He had a great first couple years, but the Giants had no trouble getting rid of him. IMO, his overblown ego makes him believe that he is special, while in reality, he has not been special in years.

OBJ should/could have been a significant contributor to the Browns. Instead, he contributed very little, so......goodbye!

I think it's against the law to offer Peyton Hillis for a car.

This is a deep cut.

It goes back 11 years when some poster on this board was all bent over us losing Brady Quinn for a "Ham Sandwich" which at the time was Peyton Hillis. I may be the only one who remembers that conversation.

Pretty sure Atl would make a claim with Ridley somewhere on the funny farm.

You are not the only one. Good times.

j/c...

Andrew Berry holding a press conference now...

Sayonara man
Don’t let the door hit you now
Just like when you catch

JMHO, Juice and OBJ are/were best friends, Browns had LOTS of money tied up with the two....I think they were hoping OBJ would run the correct routes. With all his bluster, OBJ isn't very good in our system. He toned down his drama while on the team.....wonder what his comments will be like once a former Brown. He's hurt way to much for the money he demanded- personally, I'm glad he's gone. Give others a shot. One catch for six yards. Hell of a difference maker....NOT. Go Browns!!!

I got it and enjoyed it. akronjoe was the guy.

Obviously I remember it

Let's see us some JoJo Natson.

Odell... I was looking for the lyrics from... "If you leave me now" song by "Chicago". and stupid computers gave me,
lyrics from the song... "Biggest part of me" by "Ambrosia". either way.

ooew ooew ooew no, baby please don't go, We've come too far to let it slip away,
If you leave me now, you'll take away the very heart of me, oooew oooew oooew guy I just want you to stay!

A love like ours doesn't come along every day, how could we let it slip away.
We've come to far, to Leave it all behind,
.. How could we end it all this way! (Freakin Browns)
When tomorrow comes and we will both regret, ---- the things we said today,

A love like ours is alove that's hard to find!
How could we let it slip away

We've come to far to Leave it All Behind!! How could we End it all this wayy-y
When tomorrow comes and we'll both regret the things we said today-y

... I just got to have you by my side!

...
OIC. Only in Cleveland it the Browns have to play against him this year, or this Week!

Sadly I remember the phrase, but I don't remember the poster.

Good riddance.

He was been nothing but a headache.

Now it's time to see if Baker can become the gunslinger he "once" was.

Yeah, but any reason besides that? /s

POST OF THE YEAR!

j/c...

Good read.

The inside story of how the Baker Mayfield-Odell Beckham Jr. on-field Browns relationship fell apart
By Jake Trotter ESPN Staff Writer 1:41 PM ET

BEREA, Ohio -- It was Week 9 of the 2019 season, and Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield dropped back to pass. It was late fourth quarter against the Denver Broncos with 3:23 on the clock. The Browns' season -- one that carried so much hype and hope after the blockbuster trade for Odell Beckham Jr. in the offseason -- was on the line. It was fourth-and-4, and down the sideline, Beckham sprinted past Denver cornerback Chris Harris. OBJ was open.

Mayfield briefly looked his way. But instead of throwing, Mayfield double-clutched. Then, he turned back toward the middle and forced a pass to Jarvis Landry that fell incomplete. The Browns dropped to 2-6, their season effectively over.

Beckham was visibly incensed not to get the ball at such a critical moment. And in the hours and days that followed, Mayfield was relentlessly panned. Why didn't he throw it to Beckham? Especially when OBJ was wide open?

Except, Beckham had run the wrong route. Or, to put it another way, his own route.

"That's why Baker looked confused," as one team source put it. "That's how it was all year, which was frustrating."

Over the following two seasons, Mayfield and Beckham both tried to make their connection work on the field. They spent hours throwing passes together. They took trips together. They even played video games together.

But ultimately, not much changed.

Finally, their fraught connection on the field fractured their relationship off it.

Friday, the Browns announced they would release Beckham.

"After careful consideration, internal discussions and conversations with Odell and his representation, we've determined that it is in the best interest of all parties involved that Odell no longer play for the Cleveland Browns," Browns general manager Andrew Berry said in a statement. "We appreciate all his efforts and contributions while in Cleveland, but we've just reached a point where it is best that we move forward as a team without Odell. We are finalizing the process of granting Odell his release and we wish him well as he continues his career."

ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the Browns are converting Beckham's base salary into a signing bonus to lower his cap number in an attempt to save money. Once the contract is finalized, Beckham will be released. He can't be claimed on waivers until next week.

Beckham's eminent release caps a whirlwind week in Cleveland, which pitted him against the team's quarterback.

Tuesday, hours before the NFL's trade deadline, Beckham's father posted a video on social media highlighting all the times this season Mayfield didn't throw Beckham's way or missed him when he was open. Odell Beckham Sr. went on to trash Mayfield in the comments, as well.

Odell Beckham Jr. didn't disavow his father's comments publicly. And he didn't call Mayfield privately.

How did a partnership that began with so much promise go so wrong -- and end so badly?

'This has zero to do with anything off the field'

When Beckham arrived at his first Browns training camp, he carried over a tradition from his days with the New York Giants, sitting with different groups of players at each meal in the cafeteria.

"I talk to everybody who's in this locker room, in the weight room, meetings. I talk to everybody," Beckham said then. "You've got to get to know who you are battling with. When the whistle blows, it's just us out there. These are guys. ... you'll forever remember and cherish."

That routine didn't go unnoticed. Nor did other gestures.

Before his first Browns game, Beckham provided every player with a new pair of Nike Air Max 720 sneakers. He did the same for Cleveland's equipment and training staff.

Beckham even invited teammates to his house, a town over from the Browns training facility, to take whatever clothes or shoes they wanted from his closet.

"Odell is cool in that whole room," one NFL source said, referring to the locker room.

The good will Beckham had cultivated over the past two-plus seasons was evident this week, even after his father ripped the team's quarterback.

"I feel like the majority of this locker room would love to have him in this building -- flat-out," safety John Johnson III said Thursday.

That's why this week proved shocking to Mayfield. Not just Beckham Sr.'s video. But also, Beckham Jr.'s silence.

"The craziest part of this whole situation is that they're friends," said one source close to Mayfield. "Maybe it wasn't perfect. But it was never strained."

Only a couple of weeks ago, the two were together playing video games. On Labor Day weekend before the start of the season, Mayfield and Beckham Jr., along with Landry and tight end Austin Hooper, flew to Big Sky, Montana.

Beckham flew to California for Mayfield's wedding in the summer of 2019. And during their first training camp, Mayfield repeatedly sought out Beckham's mother to give her a hug.

"This has zero to do with anything off the field, which is why it's all so perplexing," said another source. "I don't know of one [incident] that's ever [come between] them off the field. ... this is all about the field."

This week, it was no longer just about the field. Beckham's silence said enough.

"I was pretty surprised by the video and the intentions and the feelings behind it. I'd be lying if I said otherwise," Mayfield said Wednesday. "I thought we had a very open line of communication."

'About a quarter of a second off'

The first Saturday of Mayfield and Beckham's first training camp together produced enormous anticipation in Cleveland in 2019. Thousands of Browns fans packed the bleachers encircling the practice fields to watch.

The season before in 2018, Mayfield had broken the NFL rookie record with 27 touchdown passes. Cleveland finally had genuine hope in the flag-planting, trash-talking former Heisman Trophy winner and No. 1 overall pick.

Then on March 12, then-general manager John Dorsey traded for Beckham in a blockbuster deal with the Giants. The trade for a star player of Beckham's caliber transformed Cleveland's expectations, from playoff maybe to AFC North favorite.

But that first training camp foreshadowed problems ahead.

That first Saturday, Mayfield scrambled out of the pocket off a busted play with his eyes fixed downfield. But none of his receivers, notably Beckham, turned back to make a move toward him.

"Work the f---ing scramble drill!" Mayfield screamed, spiking the ball in disgust.

The crowd, which had come to see Mayfield throw Beckham touchdowns, reacted in collective stunned silence. After a few seconds, then-Browns linebacker Christian Kirksey finally broke the tension, hollering to the fans, "that's what happens when the defense is winning."

Afterward, both Mayfield and Beckham downplayed the uncomfortable sequence.

"Once we get on the same page," Beckham boasted later that day, "it's gonna be scary."

Browns backup quarterback Case Keenum has marveled at the chemistry that Mayfield and Landry have consistently enjoyed, at times connecting on routes not even in the playbook. Keenum said in Minnesota he also had an immediate rapport with Vikings receiver Adam Thielen, but with All-Pro Stefon Diggs, the chemistry didn't come so easily.

"Some [duos] take a lot more work and communication, and some it's just a little nod and you know what they're going to do and they know what you're going to do," Keenum said this year. "But I really do feel like some of those ones that did take the most time, man, when it did hit, the floodgates just poured and it was like, this was worth the wait.

"With Baker and Odell, I see it coming."

It never did.

Mayfield still couldn't get Beckham the ball. Beckham still couldn't get to the spots Mayfield needed him to be.

That was on full display on the opening highlight of the video that Beckham Sr. posted.

Late in the fourth quarter in Week 4 in Minnesota, the Browns were on the verge of putting away the Vikings. Mayfield thought Beckham would break off his route. Beckham saw the coverage differently. And with nothing but green turf in front of him, he kept running. By then, it was too late. Mayfield had already fired the ball. And the result was an embarrassing underthrow.

"About a quarter of a second off," Mayfield said then, "from me being able to see [what Beckham saw] to give it some air."

Those quarter-second misses have piled up.

Over their time together, Mayfield underthrew or overthrew Beckham on 27% of his attempts, according to ESPN Stats & Information, the third-highest rate of any quarterback-receiving duo in the league.

Mayfield has been far better throwing the ball to literally anyone else. His QBR targeting Beckham over the past three seasons is 58 (scale 0-to-100). But to every other Browns wide receiver, it is a combined 85.2.

"Odell is in his head, and [Mayfield] is pressing every time [Beckham] is around," one former Browns team source said. "Odell throws him off . ... and it gets all f---ed up from there because Baker becomes indecisive."

That Denver game in 2019 was just one of many flashpoints.

The play had called for Beckham to cross paths with Landry over the middle of the field, a mesh concept that potentially would free one of them for the first down. Unsure where Beckham was going, Mayfield turned away.

Maybe with another quarterback, Beckham freelancing his own route down the sideline would've delivered the game-winning touchdown. Maybe with another receiver, Mayfield could've converted the first down.

Their final passing play together Sunday proved entirely emblematic.

Trailing the Pittsburgh Steelers with 2:57 to play, Mayfield locked in on Beckham dashing down the right hash toward the end zone. But Mayfield hesitated, then double-clutched. This time, he threw the ball to Beckham anyway. But the pass was off target. Beckham put only one arm into the air. And the ball dropped incomplete.

Another failed play. Effectively ending a relationship.

Better apart

Beckham and Mayfield may have cost each other millions of dollars.

The next time he hits the market, Beckham likely won't command a huge contract following three lackluster seasons in Cleveland. The Browns were unsuccessful in trying to trade him before Tuesday's trade deadline for a reason.

Mayfield, meanwhile, has yet to receive an extension offer from the Browns, according to sources, though he is under contract through the 2022 season.

Now separated, perhaps the two can start to rebuild their careers.

Last year, immediately following Beckham's season-ending knee injury, Mayfield took off.

The same Week 7 game Beckham was injured, Mayfield went on to complete a franchise-record 21 straight passes, while tossing five touchdown passes, including the game-winner with 15 seconds remaining to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals. From that game to Week 15, he ranked third in the league in QBR, trailing only back-to-back MVPs Patrick Mahomes and Aaron Rodgers.

Mayfield went on to lead the Browns to their first playoff victory in 26 years.

Despite Beckham's lack of production, he's shown he can still get open. He'll soon have an opportunity to find an offensive system that better suits his skill set; one not so reliant on multiple tight ends and spreading the ball around.

By Wednesday it seemed clear that Beckham's time in Cleveland was finished. Still, Mayfield left the door open for a reconciliation.

"I'm prepared to do whatever," he said. "If he's back, then we'll work through it and do whatever it takes. I can put my ego and pride to the side to win because that's all I care about is winning."

But the two had already proven they couldn't win together.

Maybe now they can apart.

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id...-jr-field-browns-relationship-fell-apart

Great read. Thanks MM.

Politics 101.
Someone has to be the fall guy.Crap coaching,crap QB'ing,cut the wide receiver.
That fixes everything.

let the door hit you on the way out

I think anybody that was here then remembers Akronjoe. He ended up getting the last laugh, though he didn't stick around to rub our noses in it.

I think now, more than ever, we all need to take the time to think about how great Nick Chubb is.

Peyton Hillis will forever be "The Ham Sandwich" #40.

Also, the Browns always find ways to win when least expected. The expectation is they're going to get blasted this Sunday against a really good Bengals team while playing with an injured Baker and no OBJ. My guess is, now that we've moved on from the OBJ madness, we probably play our best game of the year.

That quote about OBJ throwing Baker off is exactly what I see too

j/c:

We tried to fit a square peg into a round hole long enough... it just didn't work out. Such is life sometimes.

-Go Browns!!!

OBJ free lance
I am not surprised at all
Leeroy Jenkins ball

Uh the Trotter article makes me so angry, but I am not surprised in the least. I've had to bite my tongue on this board and beat around the bush, not saying what I really thought.

OBJ is a low character, me-first person. He is not a good teammate and never has been, at the Giants or in Cleveland. Gettleman totally duped the Browns. I believe since the end of the 2019 season OBJ has been trying to exit.

The reason OBJ and Baker did not have "chemistry" is a combination of OBJ being a freelancing disruptor of the offense and his skill set diminishing. No wonder we were better without him. It's not magic. In 2019 I believe it was more the freelancing and he did not care to study the play book. All during the 2019 season he was lining up incorrectly and apparently running the wrong routes too. I think this year some of the wrong route running etc. has been on purpose, to bring the situation to a crescendo.

And I don't buy the shoe stuff either, just a rich guy manipulating others with his money. He played Cleveland like a fiddle. Nearly wrecked Baker's career, made people doubt Stefanski, and nearly killed our season. Good riddance and I pity whoever signs him. He is nothing more than a washed up jerk and that will be apparent soon, with no Baker to blame. Oh and the "I watched a 22 video and OBJ was open all day" crowd (sure running the wrong routes), need to have a plate of crow and apologize to Baker and Stefanski.

Let's go DPJ and Higgins, both are more talented than OBJ at this point anyways.

So you think the guy who hasn't wanted to be on the team since the offseason is not part of the problem? Interesting

Classic Browns.

The Orange and Brown podcast broke down all the fluky injuries/scheduling/covid/coaching etc that led to Baker and OBJ never really having a chance to play properly together.

I'd be fine if he was just bad and we move on, but that's not what's happening. Just another Browns bad luck story. Hopefully he doesn't sign with the Ravens and win a Super Bowl.

He would never survive in Baltimore. He wants to be the star, Lamar is the star. IMO, he would be the same player he was here. I truly believe he thinks he is the best thing on the field, and that has not even been close to the truth for years.

I am glad that cat is gone. He has not wanted to be here since the beginning. I lost all interest when he pulled some custom shoes for Tomb Brady and "come get me". Good riddance. That is all.

Browns did not officially waive Odell Beckham on Friday

Posted by Charean Williams on November 5, 2021, 5:57 PM EDT
link

The Browns announced Friday they are waiving receiver Odell Beckham. But the team did not waive Beckham on Friday.

The NFL’s official transactions do not list Beckham’s departure.

If the Browns cut Beckham before 4 p.m. ET on Saturday, the claiming deadline will come at 4 p.m. Monday. Because the transaction is occurring after the trade deadline, Beckham must pass through waivers.

If he goes unclaimed, the three-time Pro Bowler will become a free agent.

The Giants traded Beckham to the Browns in March 2019, and he ended up playing 29 games for Cleveland, making 114 receptions for 1,586 yards and seven touchdowns. Beckham also rushed for 96 yards and a touchdown on eight carries with Cleveland.

His last 1,000-yard season came in 2019 and his last Pro Bowl season was in 2016.

He must have dropped the pen so they couldn’t process it in time.

Not to mention he spoke up for and advocated for bringing OBJ here, which is now a bad look.

Just read the Jake Trotter story. Who runs the wrong routes on purpose? How is that even a thing? It’s so outrageous I don’t know if I can believe it.

(I qualify this with "If that is what was happening")

It's not running the wrong routes on purpose.. it's getting into the route and thinking you see a better way to get open and improvising... maybe that works with a QB/WR that have years of successful experience together who just kind of "feel" each other... but he and Baker obviously had not figured that out yet. Maybe Eli had, don't know. But imagine being Baker and trying to learn your 3rd offense in 3 years and you are trying to go through your progressions and one receiver is periodically off trying to outsmart the defense and the playbook on his own and he's not where he's supposed to be? I'm sure that could get unnerving...

You probably wouldn't throw to him a lot, especially if he drops balls too.

Outrageous, yes. Unbelievable, no. No more unbelievable that coming to a new team fighting for their lives and wearing illegal shoes and not knowing where to line up. And think about it. This is not the free lancer, chuck it up offense. This is a high timed, choreographed offense, everyone is expected to be at a certain place in a certain time or it fails.

Baker has had to work through his own issues converting to a drop back passer, timing his steps, speeding up his reads, trusting his eyes, and then he has to deal with this BS.

Great passes are thrown before the receiver makes his break. How do you do that when you don't know where he is breaking to?? The guy is an absolute joke.

Also his mysterious absence from the first few games this season makes sense now, he was pouting and punishing the Browns for not trading him before the season, book it!

Maybe a Prima Dona who is used to making splash plays and being on ESPN highlights. Maybe a guy who was used an offense where he just had to get open. Maybe a guy who couldn't thrive in the disciplined KS offense.

Maybe the guy that stands on the sideline and shouts "I wanna score a TD" instead of saying "I just wanna win".

When I hear 'he ran the wrong routes on purpose' - it's not like he lined up pre-snap and said he's going to run the wrong route, I think he starts the route and rather than complete the route knowing he's probably covered, he constantly looks to get open even if it means running the wrong route. He'd rather be considered open and the QB missed him - then run the right route and look covered. But it's all speculation for sure. However, when that's the feedback that came out of Berea this week, I think there's more than a fair chance it happened, and probably more than "occasionally".

Not sure if it was the Trotter story, but I read it was more just making a different read than Baker more than anything. I have quite a bit of empathy for the players in these situations. Their time in the league is short, and to be stuck in a scheme that doesn't fit must be maddening. I'd wish him well if he weren't such a turd on the way out.

And i know this is bitterness talking, but he's going to get everything he wants, which pisses me off. His reworked contract is such that teams probably won't claim him. He'll be a FA.

I don't want to paint Odell as the bad guy.

Don't know him. He could be a good teammate and a good person.

However, facts are facts. He did not produced when on the field. And he was off the field with injuies often.

Receivers win in two ways. They either create separation like Tyreek Hill or they win when the ball arrives.

Route running is a part of the offensive scheme. Broken plays have comeback drills. When you practice over and over again chemistry happens.
The quarterback and the receiver see the same thing and know what the other will do.

Odell and Baker never got there. Hard to say why. Perfect practice makes perfection. I saw plenty of Odell working out and rehabbing.

During training camp it sure seemed Odell was held out often. DNP or LP went with his name.

He didn't play in the second half of last year. And he did not practice often this year. Running routes solo with the quarterback is not the same.

11 on 11 is practice. Playing in games is learning to play together.

It did not happen with Odell and Baker.

End of story.

He asked to be traded multiple times but we could not find an interested party. Possibly if he did the contract adjustment like he just did we could have made a deal. But many teams just don't have cap space and OBJ supposedly was too injured to practice making him a tough trading commodity. If not injured than the fact he did not practice and was ok to play the games.

Also he was just not into the team concept. We scored a rushing TD last game and the entire team came to congratulate the TD but there was OBJ the only Brown walking away from the celebration cause it was not him involved...was a jerk glade he is walking away from us with his me me attitude. He just has no concept of what a TEAM is about. Many of our guys leaving us I'm like good luck except when you play us...well OBJ I wish him nothing but negatives in his career from here on forward. He made one catch with the Giants and was glorified for it. That one handed TD catch...woopity do. It was said Joe Thomas and I think Straham were talking about common negatives that OBJ had brought to the Giants and Browns. He simply is on of the most selfish players I ever saw. We coddled him and begged him to become part of us. Landry urging him to come to Texas where they all were bonding with BBQs and going on Bakers boat having fun after working hard...of course OBJ couldn't do the workouts but he could do the jet skis and fun stuff. Oh he would play the games and make a superb catch here and there but when the game was on the line twice on short passes where the ball was right in his hands he DROPPED it - crucial 4th down situations but he wanted to be targeted more...btw he was the most targeted receiver on our team. We just did not pass much which was his major complaint - the focus was not on him but on our running attack.

JMHO, you got it right. I didn't like trading for him in the first place. He's a diva. Anyone who needs to dye their hair, wear special me shoes, jewelry, etc., etc., he's a average size guy with some talent who has branded himself into something "significant"......his shelf life is rapidly coming to an end....AND....he knows it. NFL. NOT FOR LONG. Do I blame him, yes, but do I understand it....yes. Good Luck, Go Browns!!!!

https://brownswire.usatoday.com/202...Uoj_tthO2qasNnZr9oXnH5lJvFT6aykP7PEYPfog

In fact, a video made by former NFL quarterback J.T. O’Sullivan when the Browns acquired Beckham showed similar concerns from his time in New York.

A few statements O’Sullivan makes in the video echo Kinkhabwala’s final statements in the above video:

“There is not a lot of anticipation when you’re throwing to him.”
“Lot of dancing at the line of scrimmage.”
“It is really hard to throw to a guy like that because you never know where he is, when he is coming out (of his break).”
“Ocho (Chad Johnson) used to do this kind of stuff. He would be open, he would be wide-open every play. Now, he should have been running a post and run an out but he’s gonna be wide open on the sideline.”

Good Read

Well, I guess Higgins and Peoples Jones and Schwartz will get more .. For sure Higgins deserves it,,, Oh, Switzer is on IR..

What receivers are available that are worth going after?

Speaking of Higgins... when this whole melodrama was unfolding at light-speed, didn't someone say that he "liked" papa Beckham's tweet? Don't know if that has been verified, but one would think he may spend a week in the dog house for that.

Yes, he did say that... See below

https://heavy.com/sports/cleveland-browns/rashard-higgins-turning-on-baker-mayfield/

When all this drama was going on behind the scenes no one wanted to come out publicly and say it and I don't blame them. Now that OBJ is gone everyone can relax a little bit and get back to what's most important, playing football and winning games. That's the #1 priority.

I could be wrong but isn't Ja'Marcus Bradley still on our practice squad as well?

There's also our preseason darling that should be available.

Davion Davis was picked up by the Texans off our practice squad, if that's who you're referring to.

Maybe he meant Josh Lenz?

i don't know about everyone else but I sure won't miss OBJ. Seems like he is always a cancer in the locker room no matter where he goes.

I guess Higgins liking OBJ seniors post must mean the entire problem with division on the team solely existed with one player? Or maybe there is a bigger divide that we don't know about? Higgins like on that post seems to indicate it runs deeper than just OBJ. I guess all of the WR's better man up and support Baker now. They made OBJ an example of what happens when you don't.

Or maybe Higgie liked it because he knew that meant OBJ would be gone resulting in more playing time and targets for him leading to a bugger contract next season

Sure, with all those disses of Mayfield in there and it coming from OBJ's dad, that must be what it was. (Please denote sarcasm)

JC...

I think we still have JoJo Natson

The article that seems to make it clear that Higgins doesn't like it getting blown out of whack

Would like to have him ...

I’d like to have Khadarel Hodge right about now

Pretty wild.

I don't know if it is so much about running the wrong routes. Maybe its more about the timing of the route, or free lancing the route to get open. Rather than running the route to a depth of say 15 yards, he is juking his way to a depth of 25 yards.

That might work if the QB is sticking with the one read, but if the QB moves off the read because it wasn't open or the receiver wasn't where he was supposed to be at 15 yards, it might look like the QB is missing open looks.

It's starting to look like this might have been a factor

I don't blame him for trying to play it down. I would too in his position. But that doesn't change the fact he liked the post.

It's hard to take hitting the "like" button out of context.

I certainly think so. It's used all across the internet. Even here. I don't know of anyone who hits a like button on something they disagree with.

I was just listening to local sports radio and they were speculating about OBJ coming to the Pats. One host said he wouldn't want him here because he would hurt Mac Jones. Another mentioned how much Bill Belichek has spoken about how talented OBJ is. Wouldn't it be something if he signed with the Pats this week and got to play against us next Sunday. If that happens you can see what's coming.

I just find it hard to think anyone would take over his remaining salary when he will be so much cheaper during the off season. I mean anything is possible I guess but not many teams have the available salary cap to absorb his cost. I have no idea if the Pats do or not.

The hosts of the radio show were also discussing the fact that if OBJ wanted to get back at his former team this was a golden opportunity. Another asked why would he want to get revenge. The Browns did everything they could to make the release easy for him and then they went into some details. They are right. We treated OBJ just fine with his release. Better than he probably deserved from what I've read.

I think people put far too much stock into rumors and opinions. Often times they take such things as facts when they're usually more about painting a narrative.

True. Let's hope he goes to the NFC.

Ever since this was posted by members I have wondered what Nick Chubb thinks about this conversation. I would think the type of player Chubb is he would not appreciate a teammate that truly thinks like that. Chubb was the guy who ran pout of bounds giving up a TD for his stats so the Browns were guaranteed a win. I could be completely wrong but that was the first thing that came to mind for me.

Here is the main problem with OBJ, he believes he is a star receiver and everything should be designed around him. So Mr. Diva will only play for a contender. Unfortunately for him, he is no longer a star in this league and not even a number one. And the contender market for him is much smaller than the idiot talking heads suspect.

Do you really think Diggs, Tyrek Hill, and Adams want their respective good things jacked up by the insertion of a self-center diva?

To me the most likely are Ravens, Saints, and Pats.

Ravens as they don’t have much wideout depth, but he just seems the opposite of a ravens to me in terms of class, hard work, and devotion to team.

Pats also lack WR depth. However, he seems even less a Pat than a Raven, plus is Bill B. going to risk the potential screwing with his promising rookie QB’s head by bringing in OBJ? However Bill B. is very conceited and he may think he has the magic to make it work. Also he knows the second OBJ acts cross-ways he will cut him, he wont put up with 2 games worth of crap, much less the 2 years of crap the browns tolerated.

Saints - Seems a possible fit with MT out, but also could fail miserably. They don’t have a great QB and I don’t believe they are true contenders.

Just sooo glad he is off our team.

My hot take for where OBJ lands…

Seattle.

I’m going Saints.

In a desperate move, the Jags will claim him.

Lions ... Dorsey to Beckham " You want the fuht-baw? You want 15-20 targets a game, buddyboy? You want to enter free agency on a high note? That's Detroit, buddyboy."

Looks like the Browns being better without beckham really is a thing.

It's been like that every time OBJ didn't play.

Odell who?

The guy has to feel like a punk at this moment. Well, he should.

Odell who?

# 11 (DPJ) Enough said !!!

Waterboy should wear 13 from now on...

I don't care where he goes. Him getting back at the Browns is a joke. What exactly has he done in the past few years, that actually make anybody think he still is an elite player?

What's a Beckham? Tell LeBron the Leaver! This game, this win, felt better today. Nantz seemed kinda let down that we couldn't showcase this soap drama.
Lotta broken hearts in Cincytucky today.

Who dey?
WE DEY!

Get your Elf on. Thanks Defense!

Someone ought to send OBSr a video of Baker's passes to DPJ.

We have DPJ! We don't need no OBJ!

It seems like we freed Baker more than OBJ.

It can be like a huge weight lifted off of the entire team, players.

My only “worry” with OBJ is the Ravens. It would make too much sense. I can just see it…

This game proves just what a "difference maker" 13 was for us.
So did all the games we played last year after the ACL game.

Dream scenario. Let him go infect the Ravens and derail their season. Fingers crossed.

Report: Seahawks have strong interest in Beckham, Wilson pushing for move
https://www.thescore.com/nfl/news/2219807

The Seattle Seahawks have a strong interest in adding wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., a source told USA Today's Mike Jones.

Quarterback Russell Wilson reportedly has urged Seattle's front office to bring in Beckham, who can be claimed off waivers as early as Tuesday following his official release from the Cleveland Browns.

The Seahawks are Beckham's preferred destination, while the San Francisco 49ers and New Orleans Saints are also possible landing spots, Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reports.

Any team that claims Beckham will have to take on his remaining salary of $7.25 million - Seattle is one of nine clubs with the space to do so without revising other contracts.

However, Beckham reportedly prefers to become a free agent. Sources reported Sunday that the wide receiver wants to spend the rest of the 2021 campaign with a playoff contender and in a winning environment.

The Seahawks sit at 3-5 after losing two of their last three games with Wilson sidelined due to a finger injury. However, the star signal-caller could be in line to return following the team's bye in Week 10.

There was guy at the game yesterday with a #13 jersey. He taped over "Beckham" and wrote "Oh Well."

I wonder at what point of the game yesterday he stopped wondering why he wasn't getting any targets.

Fine with me if he brings them down a notch or two

Not sure why Seattle would want him. They already have Lockett and Metcalf. Their issues are on the OL and defense

I don't have a video, but I do have a photo of OBJ to post. He was wide open all day Sunday.

Just wondering to myself out loud ...

IF - even if the D we saw vs Cinci partially turned up vs KC or the Chargers -- Browns would have been 6-2 heading into yesterday's game and the trade deadline week.

Does La Prime Dona still pout and want out of Cleveland in that situation? I mean I personally believe he is more about his stats and flash plays more than team wins based on what's happened, but it's a more difficult situation for him to claim to want to be on a contender .... Maybe those early season losses really saved us in the long run. IDK - just pondering, looking for a silver lining.

I meant Davis. But as someone later mentioned, Hodge was definitely the one that got away. Wanted to be here, had a 'thing' with Baker, and had that extra gear.

My understanding (i.e. take this for what it's worth) is OBJ's "freelancing" wasn't wrong so much as it was wrong for this offense. There are offensive schemes that allow for a QB-WR pair to go off-script a little bit, but Stefanski's is not one of them. Given the hesitation we were seeing out of Mayfield, and the total lack of hesitation we saw yesterday, I'd say I'll take the L in wanting OBJ to work out here so bad and move on... call it a lesson learned.

And along those same lines, that's why OBJ, despite being dead weight and a cancer here, could be nasty going somewhere else with the right offense and pieces in place. Baltimore, with their running game and Lamar's live arm, seems like a prime landing spot for him to do some damage. While Lamar hasn't quite been able to get much out of his bigtime WRs, he does seem to be able to hit the open man when they get free downfield.

OBJ is out of football at the moment.

Odell has a shoulder injury. or so he says. I can see a team pick him up, and one good shot, he is back on the sidelines or IR. I don't care who he goes to, he is a selfish, immature player. Even healthy, he did nothing for this team. A play here and there means nothing, IMO, he is a has been who is constantly injured.

So if he gets picked up, is he going to fail a physical? If he passes, does that mean his shoulders weren't as bad as he was saying?

My prediction? Although it will never be proven true... OBJ is claimed by an average team on waivers, voices his displeasure and desire to be a free agent, complains about his shoulder, "fails" physical and is released.

I agree. He is about the money and the fame.

Injuries... We see what a difference it can make.

Outside of Green Bay, Dallas, Tampa Bay, etc .. I can’t see him being happy anywhere. He’s not going to have the production regardless

j/c

Question.... Is it a bigger issue that OBJ was a malcontent? Or is it a bigger issue that from what everyone seems to be saying, that one malcontent prevents an entire roster from doing its job? Does one player on an entire roster excuse everyone else on that roster from playing up to their ability? Or does it show that the entire roster lacks the ability to overcome any adversity that comes their way?

I hope the Detroit Lions take him. Hahahahahahahhahahahahahhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Maybe the Giants - that would be awesome.

Doof Dorsey would be awesome, too. Welcome back, buddy boy.

I have not had a chance to go through everyone's takes on the whole situation, but it seems like most are happy this thing is over with.

For one, it was a little weird that Beckham never spoke out on any of this? That video comes out with his father's comments, it goes viral, Baker and others have to speak on it, and you're mum the whole time? I know people threw the diva tag on him even before he got to Cleveland but for all we knew he was a good teammate. He never said much during his time that would make you think otherwise.

I think all parties involved were in a agreement that this thing never worked out, obviously there was a really bad injury in the middle of his tenure with the Browns, because prior to that it looked like maybe he was gonna take off.

A lot of people got scoffed at for saying the Browns were better without Beckham, and they turned out to be right. They just are. It sucks that they had to make a tough decision on Hodge in the preseason, when they could have maybe cut or traded beckham to keep him.

I know people are mad at him, I'm not. I am a little disappointed that he didn't say anything after the video, especially if you're a team-first guy. If you wanna say that Baker is missing Odell or not throwing to him, that's one thing, but to accuse him of purposely doing this? That's a joke, and his dad is a total clown for even thinking that. Talk about not knowing the game. You don't do that at the NFL level. People have been talking about replacing Baker Mayfield since the KC playoff loss, and you're going to just decide to sabotage a teammate and your own career for what? His dad is an idiot for that. Sorry, he is.

I have no hard feelings towards beckham, i wish him well, but I think we will see a little more consistency out of this team now that he's not around, and they can throw to open guys, instead of trying to appease certain people. Best of luck to ya Odell.

"People have been talking about replacing Baker Mayfield since the KC playoff loss"

Wait, what???

Also, does this mean we cannot have star receivers in the future?

Only if the star receivers are team-first, not me-first.

It means that OBJ is a cancer and you can't have a cancer in the locker room.

He was cunning in helping players but he undermined our QB, who for good or bad or otherwise is the team leader. You undermine him and you undermine the team. Odell is trash, the entire Eli thing should have sent us running to get away from him.

And now we see without him we aren't just better we are way way better. Good bye Trash hello team and winning.

Dan Campbell just said Detroit will not take him

It's 2:38pm and there's no news that he's been claimed. I'm betting that nobody touches him, which sucks, because I'd love to see the JETS claim him.

He got cut today so the claims will be tomorrow. I don’t think anyone will claim him.

I actually think he hasnt "officially" been waved yet..... wont know if someone claims him until tomorrow I believe?

I actually believe that's probably exactly what that means. At least if those star WR's are listening to their agents and representation. Your performances and stats help determine future potential income. I mean who is going to sign a WR who only had average catches and receiving yards to top 20 or even 30 WR contract? Signing here could severely limit their future income potential when it comes time to move on from here. Somewhat of a career killer.

Yet on the flip side of that coin, do we need or is the investment worth the return within our system to pay big money for a "star WR"? Last season our most productive WR was Landy and it wasn't even close. He had 840 yards with 72 catches and 3 td's. While that isn't paltry it certainly isn't some earth shattering season in terms of production. There has often been a debate on this board as to the value of a WR. And the fact of the matter is that's a question which has a huge variable.

On a team where your O is predicated on slinging the ball downfield and the passing game, you depend a lot more on your WR's. In the offense we currently run, the ball is spread around and we have a great deal of talent in the running game. It's a far more balanced approach. As such we do not rely on one or two receiving targets to be the focus of our offense. I believe I saw where Baker distributed the ball to eight different players yesterday and none of those were targeted more than three times.

So not only do I feel that moving forward, with this coach under the current system, will star WR's want to come here, I don't think they would be worth the money invested the way we spread the ball around. We just need solid WR's who can catch the ball and get open. The big money star WR's won't want to come here and we won't be wanting to pay the money to bring them here either.

Star WR's are career fist, not team first. Just like any other NFL player.

I pray the Jets claim him - NYC would explode with malcontent.

If you don't see the difference between OBJ and his attitude and Players like Chubb and Baker... I don't know what to say.

The conversation was about signing FA WR's on the open market. That's the context. "Star" WR's are not going to want to come here knowing our system is the opposite of being conducive to helping their future value. It would be a stupid career choice. This wasn't even the system we were running when both Odell and Jarvis came here. Thus the very first words of my post being "Star WR's".

That will change if we win Super Bowls.

People said that same thing about Patriots under BB, and it was true for quite a few years, and then the big names started clamoring to play there for a couple years to try to get a ring.

I certainly wasn't trying to predict what the future may hold. I was speaking about the here and now.

Saw on espn that odell has been officially released and can be. Claimed off waivers until Tuesday at 4

The only situations that i see that can work both from a team perspective and a beckham perspective are 1, GB and 2, Baltimore.

Patriots

Meh, I'm over him. He's not a Brown anymore, who cares what he does.

Yep. He's gone, I wish him well and that's it. He didn't really do a thing to earn Browns fans lasting respect. Adios.

Odell can go to the 49ers. While on the 49ers they can beat the bengals. (Wishing.)

I hate to say it, but I totally misread the OBJ thing. I saw the Prima Dona attitude,,, I looked at it and thought, He's going to be playing with his best friend and that will bring him in line..

To the naked eye (mine is naked) it seemed to be the case.. then, this year, adversity hits and Damn if the Prima dona doesn't show up.. i mean his DADDY.. Had OBJ stood up and said, Dad was trying to right by me or something to that effect, He'd still be here..

Am I a bad man for thanking him to high heaven for NOT saying a word.. Which in this case is the same as saying he wanted out.. I've got nothing against the kid (at 29, he's still a kid) but I'm basically very happy he's gone..

Just a week or so before the Poop hit the fan, I was saying out loud what I suppose others were thinking.. That under Stefanski, Drama had all but disappeared from the Browns Locker room....

Then last week happened.


For me, the good news coming out of the player interviews is this, they don't care.. They appear to be focused on one thing.. Winning..

Yes, this is why we cannot have nice things. now get back to the chores.

So the Giants, 49ers, and Lions all declined

Odell my bell won't even pass a team's physical. Not to mention his salary.

Won't be surprised if he is passed up by all the teams.

so between Odell, Josh Gordon, Braylon Edwards, and Andre Rison, which Browns WR has disappointed you the most? for me it is Gordon, had so much potential after 2013 and just wasted it away

He hopes he isn't claimed, he wants to be a free agent, so he can choose his team. I'm not sure, but I think if he isn't claimed, the Browns have to pay him the rest of his contract. I don't think he will ever get the money he wants, and I believe he will take the rest off the year off. He says he has a shoulder injury, I wonder if passing a physical will be able to happen. He got paid, IMO, that's all that matters to someone like him. His "great" days are behind him. He has been injured for the last three years. I see a bunch of one year deals in his future.

I love saying this because it's true...Josh Gordon is the best football player I've ever seen live.

What a waste.

Was. Not is.

The thing is, apparently he'd been asking for a trade for some time. I firmly believe OBJ used his dad to bring things to a head.

I hadn't heard he was asking for a trade... But I can see it. As for using his father,, You betcha

Word that he was asking for a trade as far back as the end of last season definitely lends some credibility to the video being part of his exit strategy. Too much smoke.

Too much smoke ... you might be confusing him with Gordon.

Come get me!

Even more interesting...

"In October, the Browns played the 49ers, Seahawks, and Patriots."


Edit: Also agree that his Daddy was his mouth so that he could appear to keep his hands clean.

Other weird thing is, he hasn't said a word? Has he spoke publicly since the video came out?

I'm just wondering what made him want out over the summer? He obviously had the injury, but he had that huge game in Dallas, then a few weeks later gets hurt. And he wanted out before he even got back healthy and on the field? Very strange.

Again I have no hard feelings against him. I think he dad is crazy for thinking he was being sabotaged, but otherwise I wish him well. It didn't work, and if that's why he wanted out, simply because it wasn't working, I can't really hold that against him. He quietly asked for a trade before, I think that's how you should handle it.

I wish him well, it sucks that it didn't work out

NOV 8, 2021

Report: Odell Beckham Jr. Prepared to Cause ‘Issues’ If Wrong Team Claims Him Off Waivers
DAN GARTLAND

Is he worth the headache?

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Odell Beckham Jr.’s quick and messy divorce from the Browns will be finalized on Monday, as Cleveland is expected to waive the disgruntled receiver after restructuring his contract to facilitate the move.

Every team in the league will have the opportunity to pick Beckham up on waivers, but they better think twice before submitting a claim.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that Beckham “does not want to go to just any team.” He’s hoping to go to “a playoff contender and in a winning environment, where he believes he would be happy and productive.”

Fair enough. What player doesn’t want a chance to win a Super Bowl? But here’s where Schefter’s report gets interesting. He writes that Beckham is willing to make life difficult for his next team if he ends up somewhere he doesn’t want to be.

“If a team that does not fit this criteria claims Beckham and the $7.25 million remaining on his contract, there could be potential issues for that team, according to a source, although it is unclear exactly what those issues would be,” Schefter wrote.

I think the way Beckham left New York and Cleveland makes it abundantly clear what those issues would be. Schefter’s report reads like Beckham and his agent telling every cellar dweller thinking of submitting a waiver claim, “That’s a nice football team you’ve got there. It’d be a shame if something happened to it.”


BY BEN PICKMAN
The chances Beckham would have been claimed on waivers were slim to begin with. After restructuring his contract to void the final two years of the deal, Beckham is owed $7.5 million for the rest of this season if he gets claimed on waivers. (If he goes unclaimed by Tuesday’s 4 p.m. waiver deadline, the Browns owe him $4.25 million.) Schefter reported on Friday that the steep price tag meant it was unlikely Beckham would be claimed on waivers. So then why did Beckham’s camp even think it was necessary to make the threat about “potential issues”?

Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio said on NBC’s Football Night in America that Beckham would prefer to go to the Seahawks but the 49ers and his hometown Saints are also contenders. From a pure entertainment standpoint, Seattle seems like a great destination for him. Either Beckham pairs with stud receivers D.K. Metcalf and Tyler Lockett to form a fearsome trio of wideouts, or he becomes Russell Wilson’s distant third option behind those guys and throws a tantrum over not getting the ball enough that fuels several more weeks of a drama-filled news cycle.


https://www.si.com/extra-mustard/2021/11/08/odell-beckham-browns-waivers-preferred-destination

OMG, this guy is pathologic. Soooooo happy he is gone.

Y'all can lock this thread as far as I'm concerned. Who cares?

I'm hoping the likes of the Lions or Jets claim him. I know it won't happen, but I'm cheering for this drama to pick up where it left off and keep going for entertainment purposes.

would lmao @ OBJ, probably will anyway.

I have to say it's much more entertaining when it involves a team besides our own.

jc...

The Rams would be my best guess...

Another reason to look forward to Christmas...potentially.

Beckham has cleared waivers is a free agent.
per Ian Rappaport 12 minutes ago.

Anyone can guess, if someone wants to guess team z, can I guess team A. how about the Toronto Argonauts? how about the alberquerque isotopes?
The point is to illustrate that endless false info is a farce if not annoying if not both.

Odell Beckham Jr. clears waivers and is free to sign with any team; Browns save $3 million
Updated: Nov. 09, 2021, 4:54 p.m. | Published: Nov. 09, 2021, 4:15 p.m.

By Mary Kay Cabot, cleveland.com
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Odell Beckham Jr. is free to try to come back and haunt the Browns this season or in the playoffs with the team of his choosing.

Beckham cleared waivers Tuesday, as expected, and is a free agent with a chance to sign with whichever interested team strikes his fancy the most.

The receiver was owed $7.25 million after the Browns reached a financial settlement with his agent last week, but they are now off the hook for $3 million of that.


NFL reporter Jordan Schulz reported that Beckham’s No. 1 choice for a destination is the Packers, whom the Browns will face on Christmas Day.

The Seahawks are also reportedly interested, and Beckham would undoubtedly love to play with Russell Wilson, who’s on his way back from injury.

One thing is certain: Beckham wants to play for a contender, and that will be foremost on his mind.



https://www.cleveland.com/browns/20...n-with-anyone-browns-save-3-million.html

Imagine thinking you are so good yet no one is interested in you or your reworked contract that would be friendly to a team picking him up off waivers.

I'm not proud of this, but I'll admit few things would make me laugh harder and put a bigger smile on my face right now than if the Packers basically came back and were like, "nah, we're good".

I hope nobody touches him this season or makes him sign for a dirt cheap prove it year.

I hope NO ONE signs him and his BIG contract....

But someone will...

we supposedly reduced his contract to release him. idk what we are still on the hook for.

4 mill

What is this topic STILL doing here!

i just want him signed to an NFC team. some of yall might think he's washed but he just didnt fit here. if we can go on a run, i dont want to see him on a team like the ravens or chiefs. please go to green bay or seattle.

So it looks like it’ll be Green Bay, Seattle, or Las Vegas IMO

I'd rather not see him on the Ravens (see him multiple times and probably in the playoffs). I agree with you, but I wouldn't mind seeing him so long as we turn what we saw in Cinci into a trend.

Based on OBJ's record here and in NY I honestly think you must be crazy to even look in his direction.

To me he is poison. Let's face it he had the same problem here as he had in NY, hard to argue with facts. He is poison and we should have known better.

Someone is bound to take a shot at him and like the Giants and the Browns they will be sorry.

I’ve had teammates like OBJ … fake friends, say the right stuff in public, but they’re totally selfish and narcissistic … I bet he never talks to Baker again

That's pretty obvious. It's also obvious Jarvis and him will remain friends. I'd be more curious about his relationship with Njoku, Higgins, DPJ.

OBJ has passed waivers and is now a FA...

I don't know what he thinks he will get and his demand on being picked up by a team looking to be a front runner are usually teams that do not have the cap space and get WRs who are willing to sacrifice their bank account to win that chip. Hmm sounds like just who OBJ kind of guy is...lol I just don't want him to go to the Ravens. Any other team but...then again Lamar throws like 20 passes a game??? I'm sure OBJ is looking for that. He's looking for the RAMS or for the Bucs question is are they looking for him?

Chiefs went and got Josh Gordon...maybe they will go for OBJ...I just don't wish to lose Landry thats all.

jmho

Landry is a pro, and much more mature than OBJ. If anything, I would bet he hates having to be linked to him. I'm sure he a good friend, but I don't see Landry as the kind of guy who would follow OBJ's path. I don't see teams rushing to sign him. For one, he claims he has an injured shoulder, secondly, he has proved to be a whiner and a malcontent. I see his future as a bunch of one year deals.

I only say that cause in the Kitchens fiasco season it was said that OBJ and LANDRY both would go to other teams after the games and ask them to "COME GET THEM" so I have a reason to fear him leaving although for the most part he has shown to be a good team mate and I think its all predicated on us winning or losing.

Not saying its not true but i had never heard that Jarvis was doing the "come get me" to other teams....... I will go google to see what I find..... if you know of an article that says this let me know.

Its amazing what google finds LOL:

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/news/...ers-who-yelled-come-get-me-to-cardinals/

I apologize eotab I didnt recall this happening...

BUT than he did come out later and say:

https://www.cleveland.com/browns/20...-get-me-dont-try-to-slander-my-name.html

Dianna Russini
@diannaESPN
·
10m
On the day in which he could make his final decision, free-agent WR Odell Beckham Jr. is honing in on the Chiefs, Packers and Saints, per league sources.

Chiefs are already failing in the Josh Gordon experiment. Why would they want another wild card that is, at best, a crude and not nearly as talented imitation of Tyreek Hill?

*Thinking to myself again* I wonder how OBJ is going to learn a new offense, and get his timing down with another QB when he never practices?

Chiefs are grasping … and are fixing the wrong problems IMO. Their OL and D are the issues

Totally agree, but would add that their QB has lost focus because of the OL problems. Yes, the mighty Mahomey boy.

Right. And the narrative is that Mahomes is somewhat "broken". The last thing in the world Andy Reid would do is say "Hey, let's inject OBJ into this puzzle -- that should fix everything!"

I don't really see Seattle. Carroll is a run first guy like Stephanski.

To me a outside chance is Tampa. I could see Arians wanting the guy, as well as Brady.

Brady and OBJ had that brief love-fest over social media last offseason (?).

Florid (for what its worth) just said on the radio that the Pats are serious contenders

I could see that, potentially. It would take a personality like Brady at QB to keep Beckham in line.

j/c...

Is it happening?!?!!?

Why would anyone feel the need to appear they tried to sign a FA?

Rodgers is their QB?

That's a possibility but that would mean they think Rodgers is incapable of recognizing an obvious low ball offer.

Yeah, I dunno... just spitballing. I'm just happy that one of the teams he wanted to go to isn't interested.

Not proud of myself for feeling like that, but it's the truth.

We sort of see things the same but not quite. My outlook is that he's no longer a Brown and with good reason. So at this point I don't care what his future is in the NFL.

j/c...

Pack offer the vet minimum despite having space. New
Pack offer the vet minimum despite having space. Saints can't even offer that, they only have 890k cap space - vet minimum for a 7 year vet is 1.08m. Restructuring someone or cutting someone is an option. That leaves KC from this group.

Reading Pats more and more...

https://mobile.twitter.com/mattschneidman/status/1458542268042944514

Now that's funny!

I think every team is going to offer the vet minimum

I'm sure someone will get caught up in the prospect of signing a shining new toy, but man, that would be pretty funny if he had no offers from other teams after all this.

Most definitely. I'm not ashamed. He's joined a small list of players I will actively root against. Ben Therapist is another example.

I'm deceased

There is a huge difference between Gordon and Beckham.. Both are extremely talented.. JMO, but Gordon may be moreso. No way to know really.

But it certainly appear that Beckham is willing to cause problems.. Gordon doesn't do that.

Well, I saw Gordon ball out on the Browns, not Odell. Just saying.

From Kim Jones, NFL Network:

From @RapSheet & me: Indications are that Odell Beckham Jr. is “going to take some time” to decide on his next team and that decision is “a few days away.” So, stay tuned.
6:50 PM · Nov 10, 2021

https://twitter.com/KimJonesSports/status/1458582873267703813

Translation: "Vet Minimum? Don't you all know who I am?"

I forgot it was a half season, so New Orleans does have the space for vet minimum technically. My bad

Dancing with the stars?

"Take some time" This is hilarious. It appears nobody thinks he is worth what he thinks he is worth. I'm sure someone will WANT to sign him, but I am pretty sure, nobody thinks he is worth what he thinks he is worth.He is an injured crybaby, who's last good season was long ago. He is a malcontent with an overblown ego who loves to play the "woe is me" card. My guess is his next statement will be that he is choosing to sit out the rest of the seasoin to heal his "shoulder" injury.

Man, I wanted this to work so badly. So much talent, the potential was through the roof. Sky's the limit!
Unfortunately, be it deliberate or incidental or just not knowing the reads, he was unable to work in this offense.... and that's a damn shame. He could have set the stat sheets on fire if he'd just been where he was supposed to be by being on the same page as his QB. Instead, we're saving a bunch of money on our offense by switching to DPJ, and we're looking like how our offense was last year, while he's now sitting at home out of football and facing the reality of no real suitors.


I still think he ends up with the Rams just because, like LeBron, this feels like a "chasing L.A." and the JetSet crowd thing. He wants the New York glitter and glamour -and the spotlight- he had years ago.

Lol. Kim Jones has been OBJ's media mouthpiece for years. He wanted out so bad from CLE and now has no defined suitor? Poor planning. Hilarious.

Years ago, we had a sub(stitute) player in our section for about 1.5 years ('subs' are folks who haven't won a permanent job with the team, but are reliable role-fillers/pinch hitters/semi regulars). Dude was a local college teacher/instructor. He was insanely gifted- better than all of us. Only one problem: he played his own interpretations, instead of playing his role on the team. Our section was a mess that year. After this one particular concert, Sarah (our squad captain) took me aside.

"What's he like when you share a stand (2 players reading from the same music) ?"
"He stares at the music and plays it how he wants."
"Thanks. That's all I needed to hear. His az is toast."

Dude fell off the sub list like Wile E. Coyote on that rocket that sputtered out over the Grand Canyon [insert tiny 'poof' img here].
Sarah was for no bs.

And we sounded better the instant his az was gone. Immediate improvement. Addition by subtraction.
Sometimes, it happens. Some folks can only function as soloists. One-trick ponies. They can do amazing things by themselves, but they can't really function as a cog in a well-oiled machine.


Sometimes, I imagine OBJ's internal dialogue sounding something like this: "Oh, maaan... that juke I dropped was choice. And that 'route adjustment' I made was genius... wait, what- another dump-down? WTF?"

After all I've seen, read and heard, I really think it was a simple as this: OBJ could never effectively fit in an offense built to function as ours is. He will never fit in any other team that is built to function as ours is. I'm not sure what team could effectively use him at this point in the season. Every team has an actual play book that they rely upon, and this dude never seemed to learn the play book on a team that employed him for 3 seasons.

There comes a point when unrealized potential becomes dead weight.
CLE was right to drop him, and other teams should look hard and long at their own internal culture before taking a flyer on him.

risk/reward.

You captured OBJ and I see no way he fits anywhere and worse IMO he will continue to blame others for what he does to himself and to the team he plays for.

I see him as poison because he will build friendships with players in the locker room then on Sunday he will go and play his own game and then blame everyone else when he doesn't get the ball. Teams will fall over themselves trying to get him involved and destroy their offense in the process.

The reason Higgins does so well with Baker is because he is where he is suppose to be when he is suppose to be there. OBJ makes his own rules and that is why Baker rightfully ignored him.

Blaming others for what he does wrong takes the top off of it for me, bye bye loser and any team that adds him will struggle after 2 times doing the exact same thing (blaming the QB), I have seen enough to know he is poison.

The fact OBJ said he needs more time probably means he isn’t getting what he wants, whether it’s money or interest.

If he goes un-signed for an extended period that’ll be more than telling

There's a new article from SI saying that OBJ is "honing in on 3 teams", like there's a multitude of teams seeking his services and he's narrowed it down to three. Has anyone even made an offer? I guess #free OBJ didn't mean what Lebron thought it meant.

Has Eli ever made a comment on OBJs apparent penchant for getting off route? Baker's being VERY diplomatic not to note it if true. I can't imagine any QB wanting this guy if it's true.

No need to say you are sorry...all I ever want is to "KNOW" the truth, I don't care who is right or wrong as long as we know the truth!
Thank you for the articles.

j/c...





OBJ loving the attention...

I wish there was an ignore topic button so this thread would NEVER be at the top of the list in bold again.
It was cute 10 days ago that they were STILL talking about this FORMER player.
But that has worn off.
It's like the guy from the Friday the 13th movies, maybe, tomorrow will be the day this topic sinks down the drain.
Will tomorrow ever come?

Once a Brown always a Brown? His Biggest! memory of his time on the Browns was the day he got mad and stood on the sidelines without shoes refusing to play like he was better than the entire team organization. I tried to look for the positives of his time, but there wasn't a lot. Move On!

The Rams is a hilarious choice. I don’t see how he fits in at all. McVay’s offense is very similar to Stefanski.

I agree. He won't like being second fiddle to Cooper Kupp either. Bob Woods will still get his fair share of targets, too.

Not to mention Van Jefferson and that bum Tyler Higbee (my former non-productive FF TE).

I'm glad he went to the Rams. We don't have to play them unless it's the Super Bowl. Can't imagine what a circus it will be the week leading up to a game that we had to play his new team.

Glad that he is going there. An NFC team.

It makes no difference to me how he does.

He is a diminished player who is often injured. He has a torn labrum.

I hold no grudge. He didn't produce for the Browns.

And our offense works better without him. He was never a good fit for the scheme we run.

I'm not suprised he went to the rams, LA is the 2nd largest market in US, so he can now expand his "brand", whatever that would be. He'll get the same exposure that he got in NY, but with better weather. Hope he enjoys the high living costs and taxes!

O/U on how long it takes him (or his dad) to try to throw Stafford under the bus?

Odell "The Busdriver" Beckham, Sr.

As soon as hitting those incentives become a concern.

Rams throwing money away IMO.

Called it.

I don't think that stuff will work on Stafford as well as it did Baker.

They have gone "all in" for winning the Lombardi at home this year.
If they flame out beforehand, I will laugh so hard.

Taking on CLE #13 is a step in the wrong direction.

Oh, well. Not our problem any more.
He's now your migraine to medicate.

Good luck.

He's on a prove it deal, lol.

The Rams? Idiotic choice IMO. They run a similar offense/philosophy to ours .. and they already have Kupp, Woods, Johnson, and Higbee. Strange.

Maybe not a idiotic choice.

First, we don't know what choices he actually had. I doubt that every team in the league wanted him and then of those that did, how much were they willing to pay him? When factoring that, it very well might have been the best choice.

Secondly, Stafford is a very good QB that people tend to downplay since he was strapped with the Lions for the last 7-8 years (or whatever). Receivers can do far worse than having Stafford throwing them the ball. If Stafford wanted him and the two find a "mojo", it might be a wonderful pairing. If not, the Rams move on and OBJ goes to second rate receiver status.

He was 2nd rate when we got him, IMO.

Yep - Rams were one of the teams I mentioned initially - and that was strictly based on Stafford and "Splash Play" ability. He's a very good QB, can buy time and might find OBJ on a busted play where OBJ is probably at his most dangerous.

As others mentioned - it is good that we don't have any more drama of him playing for a team we meet in the regular season. ...

I agree... wouldn't be surprised if he does well with Stafford... he's got a big arm and has a tendency for those big bomb plays...

I also wouldn't be surprised if OBJ flames out in LA.... as others have said, I think he went there partly because the money and it's a SB contender.... but I also think the glitz and lights were a huge draw

Can care less what he does for them. He's there pretty much to pick up slack if there is an injury. He will learn there playbook, of course he will pretend to be a studious unselfish player cause its just for a year. OBJ seems to become sour after time elapses then the real OBJ emerges but there is not enough time for that to happen.

MY HOPE...we end up playing the RAMS in the SB and win the chip

I agree. OBJ is not a #1 WR any more

Rams are soft. Titans manhandled them. This does nothing to make them better.

It will be great when the Browns are going to the super bowl to play the Buccaneers and OBJ is home watching in LA. Make it happen.

OBJ is running late arriving in LA. Instead of trusting his GPS, he made up his own route.

😂🤣

Post of the thread. You can close it now.

I feel this. Just watch out for the suicide left turns across eight lanes of traffic.

OK that right there is FUNNY

Possibly so

j/c...

OBJ already bringing the bad juju with him to L.A....

Yeah, it was some voodoo spell. Did I need to put that in purple?

No, no, purple not needed not at all. Clearly, I should have considered it or better yet, used an exclamation point at the end to make clear it was tongue-in-cheek!

I think we're both just having a little fun with it.

In other news OB Sr was seen conversing with Jeff Gillooly (of Tonya Harding fame) at the LA In and Out Burger on Thursday night.

j/c...

An open letter...

Nice try OBJ.

You showed the SCUM you are last week by using your father and various celebs to get you out of town ASAP!

Rings completely hollow.

Actions speak louder than words. . . and they damn well speak louder than this publicity stunt.

Thanks Odell. It was the best decision for all involved. Good luck with your new team.

With Woods’ injury they’re gonna need him! It’s still Kupp’s offense I presume, but OBJ is gonna have to be better than he was here

Unless I have direct experience with someone. I never judge them on a personal level unless their actions speak clearly.

Odell maybe is a good guy? I don't know. Many teammates speak highly of him.

As a Brown's player it never worked. Injury. Chemistry. It just did not happen.

The stunt with his father? If he requested a trade and Berry said no. Maybe it had to happen that way. No way of knowing the whole story.

Conspiracies about dropping balls to get out of town. I don't buy any of that.

Glad he is gone because the offense functions better.

What ever happens with him now means zero to me.

I had the same thought when I read the news...

Too bad all this gaspy note and breathless praise isn't reciprocal. Just another guy to beat. Might learn this offense and run it better than you did here. It remains lame and pathetic (JMHO smh) that your daddy is in charge of your lousy PR and QC analysis on free media. Seems wrong on several levels that he should even be allowed to have truck with the word "Believeland." Just regret his handful of catches and headaches.

Full steam ahead, mateys! Unleash the Elvish!

Same... thought the letter was nice... and don't wish any ill will on him... if he didn't want to be in Cleveland so be it... glad we moved on and think it's obvious the team plays better without him...

Well the Brown's fans welcomed him here like no other as he is not getting the same love out in LA. He joined one of the best teams going right now but injuries can change that and they are in the toughest division in the NFL - AFC North is the 2nd toughest. He is not going to be there long enough to start any major negative vibes. Our 6th round pick has shown to be more valuable to us than OBJ - We got jobbed on that trade. Peppers +

Yep. He could have badmouthed the team and didn't. He also didn't contribute anything to Browns success. I'm apathetic as far as OBJ is concerned.. Adios.

j/c

It seems at the end at least OBJ was trying to be classy. We see where that got him. He's gone but people can't seem to move on from it. Since everyone knows he wasn't adding anything to this offense, why all the hate that he is gone? Shouldn't we all be grateful he's gone? Let me guess, we're glad he's gone but not the way he went about it? Jesus Christ people.

Most of you got exactly what you wanted and yet are still b!+ching about it. It's hilarious!

OBJ is gone and Baker still played like hot garbage. It's time to find another victim to blame as an excuse when Baker plays like hot garbage. Maybe the coaching staff or another player on the Browns. I'm sure all of you will come up with something.

When Baker plays good he can be good. When he doesn't play well it looks horrendous.

seems like every QB in the NFL. IE Wilson looked like hot garbage yesterday.

Interesting you mention Wilson, because he's hot off a hand injury (don't remember if it was his throwing hand or not). His poor performance gives him an out, especially considering his body of work... which brings us back to Baker.

Only his first game with the Rams and he is already freelancing on his routes.

https://sports.yahoo.com/odell-beck...reat-and-thats-being-kind-052444226.html

This said it all: "formerly great player"

The way he acted - the way he wanted no part of Cleveland - I will happily root against him the same way I root against the Steelers and Ravens. But let's give the dude a few weeks - I am genuinely interested to see if he can be good, very good or elite again.

Yeah, well for the most pat you don't have to flip a coin each week to guess who you're going to get.

j/c...

The Struggle. The Life. The Journey. An OBJ original film coming your way. Created by Two Catch Productions...

...I do not like green eggs and ham.

Stop it.

OMG, he thinks he's heroic.

Is that you Popeye?

And yet we still aren't better without him.

Oh cry me a river! Academy Award Winning Drama Queen.

14-15 with him and 12-9 without him.

I'd say that qualifies as better without him.

We're way better without him. After the turn around last season, his short leash this season consisted of drop after drop in key situations. What a joke.

"The struggle is reeeeeal".

Poor OBJ.

We certainly aren't any worse.... and for $15 million/year, if your absence has a net impact of 0, then we don't need him.

But in reality, he's been gone for 2 games... oddly enough probably our best and worst games of the year back to back.... so I would say the jury is still out on whether, in the long run, we are better with or without him.

Why does Odell say he's going back to California????????

He's never been there except as a visiting player.

OBJ is turning into an Antonio Brown type narcissist

Turning? He was already there.

Quoted for emphasis... couldn't have said it better (on both points).

You didn't watch the game last week did you?

Yes. Most of us did. We also watched the last three years of football games when we had him, both when he played and when he didn't.

Try again.

Because he lives in LA in the off-season?

No need to try again. Other than the Cincy game we haven't scored more than 17 points since October 10th. You seem to be resting on what was rather than what is. We weren't any better last Sunday than we were with OBJ out there running routes.

It's hilarious when people use a one game sample size as a definitive conclusion.

That's what a sample is. How much food do they give you at Costco with your sample?

Well, if last week means we need OBJ, the Cincy game means Baker is the GOAT. But wait, OBJ wasn't there for the Cincy game??? Must be some strange rift in the universe.

It goes to show that Baker can play well or crappy and that OBJ being in the line up has nothing to do with it. Good luck with that.

It is statistically insignificant if the sample size is 1.

It was when you crowed about the defense after the Bears game and it is now.

And yet since then we've held the Vikings to 7 points, the Broncos to 14 points, the Steelers to 15 points and the Bengals to 16 points. While the D has done a terrible job at consistency, just like our O, it doesn't change the fact that the O has been very inconsistent as well. And they still are.

How the hell do I know where he lives? Glad you keep up with trivial matters.

A trivial matter it seems was able to answer your question?

You’re literally posting on a message board about a football team.

Serious question. Do you believe the result and play in the Pats game was more likely impacted by OBJ not being there or by the fact that the Pats are coached by Bill Belichick. Based on your answer to that question - do you think the one game has any chance of reflecting what Baker can or cannot do with or without OBJ. Jeeeeeez.

I think in your rush to try and pile on Baker - you made a dumb comment about the impact of OBJ. Instead of acknowledging that's not a good or viable way to judge what OBJ did or didn't do for the team, you are digging in and making it worse.

So OBJ gave up his route and Stafford throws a INT. Sounds familiar

Dude... you asked a question and got an answer. All the extra snark makes you look... not smart.

I'm not piling on Baker. I'm piling on those trying to make excuses for him. If one WR on O makes your QB play bad that's a weakness in your QB. Let's face it, if OBJ were always running the wrong routes and this coaching staff actually believed the problem was OBJ, OBJ wouldn't have been on the field. This FO didn't sign him and weren't attached to him an any way. Now many people are pivoting to blaming Stefanski. It seems there's always an excuse. I don't think it's ever had anything to do with OBJ one way or the other.

One man's reason is another man's excuse... Stating that there are other contributing factors to why the offense has been inconsistent and, at times, stagnant, isn't necessarily making excuses for Baker. It takes 15 or 16 players and half a dozen coaches all doing their job, in concert, to make an offense really work well. Then throw in injuries, covid absences, whatever OBJs impact on the whole thing was, etc..... I can say that Baker has been inconsistent this year AND point out that his injury, questionable playcalling, missing BOTH RBs for a couple games, are impacting his play as well as the overall effectiveness of the offense and feel perfectly justified in saying that.

I've watched many posters jump from blaming OBJ to blaming Stefanski. At least you're willing to put a good portion of the blame on Baker as well. I've seen teams go through three RB's and yet their QB's can put points on the board. All teams suffer through injuries. Once again, I'm pretty sure Stefanski isn't telling Baker he isn't allowed to throw the ball to open WR's. As for his injury that may very well be. But one I think must ask themselves, if he is so hurt our offense can't score, what's the point in playing him?

Pit...well, you obviously believe that Keenhan is the answer to the problems that have afflicted the Browns offense!

Pit, you must really be bummed to find out that Baker is starting against Detroit, right?

That's not my choice to make. At this point I don't think it makes much difference. The good news in that the QB they're starting really sucks so it should give us a lot more opportunity to score points. More chances equal better odds. Keenan certainly isn't the answer. The problem is as of right now nobody can say for sure that Baker is either. Stay focused.

Again - it seems like you are obsessing over other opinions and in the process misrepresenting them.

I don't know a single poster who said it was all OBJ. And I don't know a single poster who said after one game where the Browns were outcoached on an epic scale - that the issue now is KS.

I do know a lot of posters like myself who said that Baker has shown some issues. (AND) That he's hurt. (AND) That OBJ maybe was a bigger negative than we thought. (And) that KS play calling can be an issue. . . I mentioned the predictability and unimaginative play calling by KS back in week 3 or 4. We also had weeks when we had 4th and 5th string OL playing together and the OL looked bad ... that too was a factor. This is not an "it's ALL this" or "it's ALL that" - there are multiple things all impacting Baker's performance.

Pit...I'M SORRY BUD...but you have no other choices...if you hate Baker so much, the only other QB on the roster is Keenham...

SO, KEENHAM IS YOUR CHOICE, BUD!

This. It's a number of things.

There are a lot of posters saying many different things. Many look for excuses to blame it on and many who try to have an objective overview. There's certainly no one size fits all here. I can show you games where the OL had had multiple substitutions due to injuries and I can show you where there was only one. But I can show you very unproductive and low scoring offensive games in both cases. Yet in week three where you called out "the predictability and unimaginative play calling by KS", we actually scored 26 points. It's a mixed bag to be sure but it seems to me that as I gave you an example of in week three, the claim of Stefanski calling a poor game still resulted in 26 points. So that seems to be an overstatement considering the outcome.

Your use of the word "Excuses" is the issue I guess. As well as saying posters said things they didn't.

They scored 14 in a struggle to beat the Vikings in week 4 ... so maybe when I said "Week 3 or 4" it was more probable it was week 4 .... would you agree? SO why highlight week 3 results?

It's not excuses.

It's reality.

It's not all Baker. It's not all "Not Baker". That was true even when Kitchens was manager. Kitchens had the whole team play below their ability - Baker included. But it was still baker who was under prepared, missed open receivers, threw interceptions. So while there was a gigantic negative influence - Baker still owns a large slice of what Baker did that year. This year we don't know how bad and impactful the shoulder injury is. We don't know how much a bunch of valid influences are negatively impacting Baker ... but they aren't excuses unless you have a predetermined angst against Baker ... or against the posters who support Baker.

The only thing I have is watching the Browns play football. All I have is looking at the putrid offense. I'm not against anyone. I guess we'll see moving forward. Which is what I've been saying all along. But I will say that Baker's performance doesn't scream franchise QB. It doesn't scream long term 100 million dollar contract. Unless of course you think it does? Which has been my overriding point all along which thus far you haven't seemed to address. And the reason I focused on week three? Because you brought it up.

Let's face it, there was only one week between that week three game where we scored 26 points against the Bears and the week 4 game where we scored 14 points against the Vikings and only one more week later 47 points against the Chargers. We had the same HC every game. Since then we've scored 14, 17, 10, 41 and 7 points respectively.

My perspective on Baker was spelt out and is crystal clear. You either forgot, didn't read what I wrote or choose to be argumentative.


I think there is a lot more wrong with the team than just Baker at the moment. I think Baker's injury is hurting his performance. . .


I know you scoffed at that and poo-poo'd the idea that he could play "great" vs the Bengals and then use the injury as part of why he played poorly vs the Pats ... but remind me again how many completitions he made in the Bengals game? Remind me - how did the 'team' look vs the Bengals and how did they look vs the Pats? . . . was Baker the stand out difference in those two games? Or was he one of 22 that looked different from one game to the next?

It's not hard. I look at Baker at his best and believe that over that extended period of time (and first two games this season) is not a fluke and it is indicative of his ability. Others seem to look at Baker's worst periods of play and define him by those. Others decide that when the Defense gives up points to lose a game in the last 60 seconds of a game, or give up 47 points to the reigning AFC champs, that it's Baker choking or not 'strapping the team on his back' ... People pick a perspective and stick with it. Some of those perspectives are most clearly predetermined by his flag planting or his "arrogance". I prefer to keep it to what he's done in a Brown's jersey and his taking a 1-31, strapping it onhis back and turning us into a winning team.

Dude...Take your snark and smartness to the back of the bus where you and it belongs...