Cleveland Browns’ Odell Beckham Jr. has chance to be best WR in NFL
By Dan Justik
Cleveland Browns’ Odell Beckham Jr. has played like a top wide receiver in the NFL, but will he be the best at the position in 2019?
When the Cleveland Browns traded for Odell Beckham Jr. in March, they knew they were getting one of the most talented wide receivers in the NFL.
Whenever he is healthy, Beckham can help transform an offense because of his abilities to make plays at all levels of the field. Before he even played a snap for the Browns, it was obvious that he made Cleveland’s offense a top-tier group.
Despite his talents, Beckham has had a hard time taking over the moniker of being the best wide receiver in the league. Whether it be because of sub-par quarterback play or some of Beckham’s “antics,” Beckham has always been in the conversation of being the best wide receiver, but not take it over.
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Beckham has been one of the most productive wide receivers in the NFL, despite Eli Manning playing extremely inconsistent since Beckham entered the NFL. Only once has Beckham not reached 1,000 receiving yards in his five-year career, but that was in 2017 after playing only four games due to a broken ankle.
But now that he is with the Browns and has Baker Mayfield throwing the ball to him, Beckham will have more opportunities to put up his massive production. That is why Robert Mays of The Ringer thinks Beckham has a good chance of being the best wide receiver in the NFL in 2019.
"When Beckham is healthy, he’s one of the rare receivers that can create opportunities from virtually any position at every level of the field. And now, he has a quarterback with the ability to accurately place throws all over the place. Most people probably wouldn’t choose Beckham for top among this group right now, but by the end of the year, I wouldn’t be surprised if people return to seeing him as arguably the best wideout in the league. – Mays, The Ringer"
Because of all of the weapons on the Browns offense, it will be hard for defenses to key in on just Beckham. If defenses consistently pay extra attention to Beckham, the Browns have other talented weapons that can pick their defense apart. So Beckham may get extra attention throughout the course of a game, but it won’t be for an entire game.
And now that Beckham will be surrounded by his best friend Jarvis Landry and college wide receivers coach Adam Henry, it would be assumed there is a less of a chance of Beckham’s “antics” interfering with his play on the field.
He may not have played a down for the Cleveland Browns yet, but Beckham appears to be in the best situation of his career. And being in this type of situation could help Beckham emerge as the best wide receiver in the NFL.