Mailbag: Could Odell Beckham Jr come back to Cleveland?

In this Q&A with Noah, I give my takes and answer questions about Odell Beckham Jr potentially coming back to the Cleveland Browns, a possible Deshaun Watson suspension, an outlook on Baker Mayfield, and more. 

Cleveland Browns fans have plenty of questions, so let’s try and answer them.

The first is all about a potential return to Cleveland for Odell Beckham, Jr.

Is it possible for Odell Beckham Jr. to reunite in Cleveland – Corey, Cleveland

I don’t think the possibility of OBJ making a return to the Cleveland Browns should be ruled out, but it also is certainly not likely at this time.

There are several people within the Browns organization that feel as if Beckham quit on the team and do not want him back, as previous reports have also noted. Therefore, it would be hard to imagine a return to Cleveland.

On the other hand, seeing the players speak out publicly about how OBJ was the best teammate they’ve ever had, and Myles Garrett telling Beckham Jr “it’s time” to OBJ on an Instagram post captioned “Come Home, The Fellas Miss You” after Beckham Jr commented, “who you talkin to slimeeeeee” may keep some sliver of hope alive if you’re one to want OBJ back in town.

I imagine the front office is at some sort of split on OBJ potentially coming back to Cleveland, after it was reported by Armando Salguero that the team has had ‘internal discussions’ regarding possibly bringing back Odell Beckham Jr. Is it possible? Certainly. Is it likely? No. Only time will tell. It would certainly make for quite the storyline, however.

How long could a Deshaun Watson suspension be? What’s the expectation? – Logan, Toledo

The Deshaun Watson situation is a very complicated one, and seeing what the NFL decides to do regarding discipline for Watson will be extremely interesting. I think the league is under a lot of pressure to suspend Watson, and ultimately, I think Deshaun will get suspended for a majority of the 2022 season.

That could certainly be around the 10-game mark, or I even think there’s a slight chance he is forced to sit out the entire season. Either way, I think the expectation should be around the 10-game mark, while the floor is at around 6-games and the ceiling at the entirety of the season. You can expect a decision on discipline for Watson in the month of June, or maybe as late as July. But I’m expecting the suspension to be pretty hefty and would be shocked if it is under the 6 game mark.

Could Baker Mayfield start for the Browns in 2022? Will he be traded by the start of the season? – Matt, Bedford

Baker Mayfield will not be playing another snap for the Cleveland Browns, regardless of a Deshaun Watson suspension. As for a trade, that is a different story.

The Browns need to excuse Mayfield from mandatory minicamp on June 13-15th, as the San Francisco 49ers did for Jimmy Gorapolo while the team continues to work on a trade. That’s something that has yet to be done, but I’m expecting it to happen in the near future. As for being traded by the start of the season, it’s certainly a likely scenario but I would not say it’s a sure thing.

As of now, the Browns have zero plans of cutting ties with Mayfield and allowing him to become a free agent. Cleveland will play the waiting game, as they’ve continued to do until the right situation appeals to Mayfield and the team. I think it’s more likely that Baker is on the teams’ roster at the trade deadline after Week 8 of the NFL season than it is the Browns flat-out cut Mayfield. The Browns will wait it out and see if a team becomes desperate for a quarterback due to an injury or any other unforeseen circumstance.

What one remaining free agent would you sign to the Browns right now? Johnny, New York

If I had to choose one free agent to bring to Cleveland right now, I would say to sign Will Fuller. While you can definitely make a case to sign a veteran defensive tackle, I think that Will Fuller can make a bigger impact for the team as soon as he steps onto the field, as long as he can stay healthy.

Fuller has a phenomenal relationship with Deshaun Watson and their connection has proven to be deadly in Houston. Cleveland could use a bit more wide receiver depth, and Fuller would be the perfect low-risk, high-reward signing.

Can you see a scenario where JC Tretter comes back to Cleveland? Denis, French Guiana

I don’t see it. I think it was time for the two sides to part ways in order to clear room for the young offensive lineman Nick Harris to step in and be the starting center of the future.

This front office believes Nick Harris has what it takes to take the next step in his career to become a dominating offensive lineman. It was just time for Tretter to part ways with Cleveland, especially given his cap hit for 2022.

Tretter, the NFLPA President, remains a free agent but should be able to get a job with a different club and produce right away.