The Browns want to give Baker Mayfield every weapon possible. Trading for Odell Beckham Jr. would give Cleveland one of the best weapons in the NFL.
Dave Gettleman and the Giants’ front office clearly want to build their offense around Saquon Barkley. At the very least, that makes Odell Beckham Jr. a player who can be acquired for the right price. It’s very possible that the Cleveland Browns turn out to be the NFL franchise willing to meet New York’s asking price.
Josina Anderson of ESPN is reporting that a “mystery AFC North” team that continues to make inquiries about the Giants wide receiver. Fans of the Ravens, Bengals and Steelers would love to think their franchise is the one making the calls. However, none of those teams have a young quarterback who can really take advantage of another weapon on the outside.
Baker Mayfield didn’t have a perfect rookie season, but he surpassed most people’s expectations once he took over the reigns of the Cleveland offense. Currently, Jarvis Landry and Antonio Callaway are penciled in to be his starting receivers next year. That’s problematic for several reasons.
Callaway showed flashes of real potential during his rookie season, but he has a multitude of off-the-field issues that make relying on him a dangerous proposition. John Dorsey and the Browns front office cannot afford to put all of their trust in Callaway to be a key cog in their 2019 offense.
Landy was exceptionally productive last year, but there’s no question he’s at his best when he’s deployed in the slot. That means the Browns need to find a receiver who can strike fear in opposing defenses on the outside. Beckham Jr. might be the most terrifying receiver in the NFL for opposing defensive coordinators.
While the desire for the Browns to add Beckham is obvious, it’s unclear exactly what the Giants might require to part ways with their Pro Bowl wide receiver. Jay Glazer didn’t give details on what Gettleman and company are asking for, but he deemed their asking price to be “ridiculous.”
The Browns have a ton of young players and draft assets to work with, but they need to be careful not to overpay. After all, the Raiders just got Antonio Brown one third-round and one fifth-round selection. Beckham is younger and isn’t agitating to leave New York, but the Brown deal should serve as a starting point for negotiations between the Browns and Giants.
In the end, the odds favor Beckham staying put, but the Browns are a team that should make a major run at pulling off a big trade. The idea of Mayfield throwing him a ton of passes in 2019 is enough to get Browns fans dreaming of a return to the playoffs.