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Odell Beckham Jr. is without question one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, but his prime is being wasted on the Cleveland Browns since the team has a below-average quarterback throwing him the ball in Baker Mayfield.
In 22 games with the Browns since his trade from the New York Giants, Beckham has caught 97 balls for 1,354 yards and seven touchdowns. While those numbers aren't terrible, OBJ should have more targets, catches, yards and touchdowns since he's a true No. 1 wideout who can't really be covered one-on-one. The former LSU star used to put up these aforementioned numbers in a single season when he was playing for the Giants, so clearly the Browns are not giving the ball to OBJ enough.
Even though the Browns are still 4-2 despite getting smacked by the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6, Beckham needs to understand that his prime is going to waste with the Browns. The three-time Pro Bowler, who has been injury-prone since entering the NFL, will turn 28 on Nov. 5. With the trade deadline coming up, OBJ needs to talk to his agent and request a trade from the Browns, as no matter what the players are saying about Mayfield, the body language on the sidelines shows that the playmakers on the Browns don't believe that the former No. 1 overall pick is the guy who can lead them to the promised land.
Even if the Browns shocked the world and benched Mayfield for Case Keenum, OBJ's athletic prime would still be going to waste. This once-in-a-generation type of player needs to play with an elite quarterback who puts him in positions to be successful. For Beckham to only have four targets in the Steelers game is unacceptable. It's one thing if the Browns won the game and OBJ caught only two balls.
However, if Beckham is being targeted four times and catching two balls (one from Mayfield, one from Keenum) in a blowout loss, that is very concerning. Sure, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski needs to dial up more plays for Beckham, but there's only so much he can do when he has a putrid quarterback as his signal-caller. Once Mayfield's first read is taken care of, he gets happy feet in the pocket and doesn't read his second and third progressions correctly.
Odell Beckham Jr. has played in just one playoff game since coming into the NFL. The Browns likely won't make the playoffs this season and it's clear as day that OBJ—despite saying all the right things to the media–doesn't enjoy playing for Mayfield. His talent is going to waste and it's a shame since Beckham is undoubtedly one of the most dangerous guys in the NFL with the ball in his hands.
While he's still in his prime, Beckham needs to be on a winning team with a positive, established culture. The Browns could probably get some future first-round draft picks for OBJ since teams around the league understand how valuable he is. Even though Beckham's best friend, Browns wideout Jarvis Landry, is in Cleveland with him, the two stars can always hang out in the offseason. This Browns team isn't going anywhere with Mayfield or Keenum and it's sad watching one of the most explosive playmakers in the NFL get misused on offense seemingly every week.
Odell Beckham Jr. went off against the Dallas Cowboys in Week 4 for three touchdowns, with one coming on the ground and one coming off a pass from Landry. There is zero chemistry between OBJ and Mayfield. Baker has a rocket arm, but he's not comfortable being a pocket quarterback and doesn't understand NFL defenses and where to find the holes.
Beckham has to use his frustrations that were seen in Week 6 as a wake-up call. The four wins the Browns have this season aren't because of Mayfield. OBJ has to understand that he's not going to get the usage he deserves to get in this Browns offense. Cleveland wants to run the ball with Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb (when he's healthy), not throw the ball over the top with Beckham, something OBJ used to do on a regular basis with the Giants despite Eli Manning not having the biggest arm.
The time has come for Odell Beckham Jr. to request a trade from the Browns. He's way too good of a player to be putting up mediocre numbers since arriving in Cleveland. Every superstar wideout wants to play with a QB who gives him a chance to be successful every week and Mayfield clearly isn't that guy.
