Cleveland Browns: Is it time to move on from Odell Beckham Jr?

Is it time the Cleveland Browns move on from Odell Beckham Jr?

The Cleveland Browns got outright embarrassed on Sunday, losing to the Baltimore Ravens 38-6. Nothing seemed to work, as the offense couldn’t get any sort of rhythm, and the defense allowed Lamar Jackson to put on a show like he did all of 2019.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was just how poor the offense looked. While the Ravens come into 2020 with a top-five defense, first-year Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was thought to be the guy to bring a spark and excitement to an offense filled with talent from top to bottom.

Coaching wasn’t the issue on offense, however, as Baker Mayfield looked rattled all game. He consistently doubted what he was seeing, double-clutched on his throws, and just didn’t look comfortable at all. His running backs never got going either, and his wide receivers did nothing to help either. The problem on Sunday was a lack of execution.

The biggest name to disappoint on Sunday was wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. OBJ was brought into Cleveland with his friend Jarvis Landry to be a huge playmaker for the Browns offense, but has never fully reached the level of play he did with the New York Giants.

Beckham’s biggest miscue in Week 1was when dropped a pass on third-and-two late in the second quarter that would have set the Browns up in prime scoring position. After his drop, kicker Austin Seibert missed the field goal, and Baltimore scorched down the field in a matter of just a few plays to take a 24-6 lead. Instead of potentially closing the gap to 17-13, there was a 14 point swing.

Sure, one drop isn’t enough to get rid of a guy. But that is just the start. Beckham seemed disinterested for the rest of the game. If you also look at how 2019 went for Beckham, both on and off the field, you’ll see the distractions he brings just don’t line up with the play he brings to the team. Whether you talk about the cleats issue, the watch issue, or the rumblings of “come get me” that circulated, Beckham has provided many distractions that don’t necessarily help a team in need of a leader.

The lack of leadership displayed by Odell Beckham since he arrived in Cleveland, as well as the lack of chemistry he has developed with quarterback Baker Mayfield, is more than enough reason to begin shopping the former star receiver.

It would be smart for Cleveland to begin looking to see what they can get for OBJ, because if his play continues to dip, the offers will only continue to drop.