Cleveland Browns Film Room: Examining Odell Beckham Jr.’s 2020 season

Beckham’s best (in Cleveland) is yet to come

Beckham dominated Marlon Humphrey and Marcus Peters in Week 1 against Baltimore. The Ravens couldn’t cover him, but Mayfield couldn’t get him the ball in a timely or accurate manner. The same story presented itself over the next five weeks. OBJ routinely got open for big plays and drew coverage away from his teammates, but didn’t get the catchable passes to take advantage of the separation he created.

During the offseason, Beckham revealed that he had played the 2019 season with hip and groin injuries that ultimately required surgery. In hindsight, it’s easy to see how that had an effect on his play. He was finally healthy for the first time in years in 2020, and his touchdown on a reverse against the Dallas Cowboys sealed the win for the Browns in a game they were close to blowing. It’s a shame that he suffered another serious injury just a few weeks later, because the game is better when he is at his best.

ACL tears are serious, but they are not the death sentence they used to be. Both Jordy Nelson and Keenan Allen are recent examples of receivers coming back stronger from the injury. Beckham is reportedly ahead of schedule and is sure to be motivated to prove his doubters wrong once again. With the way Mayfield finished this 2020 season, that’s exactly what should happen.

Head to the author’s Twitter page for a lengthy clip thread on Beckham’s 2020 season.