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Currently, in the midst of his first year as a member of the Cleveland Browns, All-Pro wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has encountered quite an interesting campaign thus far into the 2019 regular season. With the AFC North franchise encountering an equally strange go-round, which definitely correlates with Beckham Jr.'s story in Cleveland to date, the former New York Giants pass-catcher has played a pivotal role for his team — when called upon.
Originally acquired by the Browns via trade with the aforementioned Giants before the start of the 2019 campaign, Beckham Jr. was brought in to be a difference-maker for a team on the rise. Instead, both the Browns and Beckham Jr. have encountered a pedestrian season at 5-6 with the former Giants standout producing some solid numbers — only when given an opportunity, which hasn't been as often as anyone in Cleveland would like. However, Beckham Jr. has strung together some gaudy numbers here and there — though not according to his previous single-season statistical efforts, that's for sure.
Despite being just 5-6 on the season and right on the outside looking in at the current AFC Wild-Card picture, the Browns have begun to turn things around with the help of an improved Beckham Jr. Winning three consecutive games, a stretch that includes a Week 12 battle against the lowly Miami Dolphins, the Browns still have a chance to salvage the team's season — one that was once believed to be on the verge of a special year.
Registering six receptions for 84 yards and one touchdown on Sunday afternoon against the Dolphins, Beckham Jr. has now posted 54 receptions for 776 yards and a pair of scores, all of which have come on 97 targets as a result of the first 11 games of the 2019-20 regular season. While Beckham Jr. will almost certainly eclipse the 75 reception and 1,000-yard receiving plateaus in his first season as a member of the Browns, it also appears as though the longtime Giants wideout will produce some of the worst numbers of his career — as far as full-season efforts are concerned.
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Last season, which would ultimately be his last in East Rutherford as a member of the Giants, the 27-year-old wide receiver appeared in 12 regular-season games for a lowly NFC East franchise. Although quarterback Eli Manning was thought to be the main problem in 2018-19, Beckham Jr. recorded 77 receptions for 1,052 yards and six scores.
Now, the quarterback play shouldn't be the key issue as Browns signal-caller Baker Mayfield has the ability to seriously sling the rock at times. On the other hand, the Browns have significantly more weapons to choose from on offense, which has surely affected the number of touches that have come Beckham Jr.'s way. Even so, this is typically a good problem to have at the NFL level, even if the Browns haven't done all that much winning in 2019.
All things considered, the Browns will finish the year as a middle-of-the-pack team in the AFC standings, will Beckham Jr. putting up some respectable numbers on an individual basis. As a result, he currently sits with a grade of “B” through his first 11 games in Cleveland.
