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One of the headlines that dominated tabloids this offseason was the trade that sent Odell Beckham Jr. from the New York Giants to the Cleveland Browns. The move sent shockwaves through the NFL and the expectations surrounding the Browns continued to rise.
For the past few years, Beckham Jr. has been one of the best receivers in football with the Giants. His energetic personality and passion rubbed people the wrong way in New York but Cleveland got themselves a transcendent talent at one of their skill positions.
Now, Beckham Jr. gets to play alongside his running mate at LSU in Jarvis Landry. You pair that with Baker Mayfield, Nick Chubb, and David Njoku and you realize why there is so much hype surrounding this team.
So what can we expect from Beckham Jr. in his first season with the Browns? Another phenomenal season should be in store for the electric wide receiver.
Beckham Jr. spent his first few seasons in the NFL breaking records and getting stats that set the bar fairly high for himself. Here are three numbers to target for Odell Beckham Jr. in 2019.
3. 10 Touchdowns
After being drafted by the Giants with the 12th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, Beckham Jr. immediately made his presence felt in the NFL. His rookie season put him on the proverbial map towards NFL stardom.
In his first three seasons, opposing defenses had a tough time keeping the elite receiver out of the end zone. The former Giants pass catcher totaled 35 touchdowns from 2014-2016. Then, an unfortunate injury ended Beckham Jr.'s 2017 campaign early.
After coming back in 2018, Eli Manning's decline became even more noticeable for the Giants. The veteran quarterback was no longer able to make the throws he once could and was unable to get the ball to Beckham Jr. consistently.
As a result, Beckham Jr. had career-lows in receptions, yards, and touchdowns in 2018. This season, he should return to his dominant form with Mayfield throwing him the ball. Touchdowns should be endless for the Browns offense and Beckham Jr. should be the recipient of 10 or more touchdowns.
2. 1,400 Receiving Yards
One of the best skills that Beckham Jr. possesses is his ability to make plays after the catch. You can make a 10-minute long highlight video of the dynamic receiver taking a screen pass or a slant for six.
In New York, the Giants tried to overcome Manning's deficiencies by throwing short passes to Beckham Jr. and the other weapons on the offense. Although, their offense became too predictable and teams honed in on Beckham Jr. even more than before.
In 2019, Beckham Jr. shouldn't have any troubles with making big plays within the offense. Mayfield is excellent at extending plays and Beckham Jr. can find ways to get open. After all. if Mayfield can put it anywhere in Beckham Jr.'s vicinity, there's a good chance he's coming down with it.
The new Browns receiver has broken records for being the fastest receiver to 4,000 receiving yards and 5,000 receiving yards alike. In his first season in Cleveland, Beckham Jr. could become the fastest to 6,000 yards while eclipsing 1,400 yards just this season.
1. 105 Receptions
Surprisingly, Beckham Jr. has only caught more than 100 passes just once in his career. That came in 2016 when the energetic wideout brought in 101 passes. Again, his quarterback play in New York was never stellar so his numbers could easily rise in Cleveland.
Besides, in New York, Beckham Jr. did a magnificent job doing the most he could with the number of receptions he got. In his first three seasons in the NFL, Beckham Jr. averaged 14.3 yards per reception—showcasing his big-play ability.
This year, Beckham Jr. will figure to be a focal point of the offense in any way possible. More plays will likely be run by Freddie Kitchens that target the newly acquired wide receiver—which means more receptions.
Having a talent like Landry also helps take some of the pressure off of him. In New York, Beckham Jr. never had consistent help at wide receiver and he never played with a talent like Landry. Thus, Beckham Jr. could be in store for one of the best seasons in his career in 2019.
The All-Pro wide receiver could have himself a season where we see him corral 105 receptions, 1,400 yards, and 10 touchdowns. If these numbers come into fruition, there's a good chance that the Browns are in the postseason.
