The NFL trade deadline has long passed, but that hasn't stopped rumors from swirling about big-name players who could possibly be on the move. Perhaps one of the most interesting stories of the offseason was Odell Beckham Jr.'s contract situation.
The star wide receiver wanted to be paid according to his All-Pro production, and the New York Giants rewarded him by making him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL, with a five-year contract worth $90 million. This was a rather puzzling agreement, as the Giants were coming off of a 3-13 season, and their quarterback, Eli Manning, was coming off one of his worst years.
It appeared as if a rebuild was in the very near future for the G-Men, but new general manager Dave Gettleman decided the team was set up for another playoff push. He extended Beckham and selected running back Saquon Barkley with the second overall pick in the 2018 Draft.
Things haven't gone according to plan, as New York has improved, but not by much. New York is currently 3-8, fourth place in the NFC East, and hold a top-six draft selection. With the team's lack of success comes drama, and there has been the usual amount from OBJ. His dissatisfaction with losing is apparent, and it's hard to blame him.
Odell Beckham was rumored to be available for trade during the offseason, and although nothing has happened so far, there is nothing to indicate that he will be a Giant for life. In fact, NFL analyst Boomer Esiason seems to think that Beckham could find himself on a new team sooner rather than later.
Esiason claims that the Giants have had “legitimate discussion” with the Cleveland Browns concerning a Beckham trade. This makes sense, as the Browns still have a high number of draft picks and could use an elite No. 1 WR like Beckham. They can certainly afford to pull the trigger, the question is whether or not GM John Dorsey would feel comfortable sinking all that draft capital into one player. There are pros and cons to the move, but it makes a lot of sense for Cleveland to acquire Beckham, even at the high price doing so would require.
The first question to answer is that of need and fit. Do the Browns need a wide receiver? Absolutely. Before the season began, Cleveland was thought to have one of the best WR corps in the entire league. Josh Gordon, Jarvis Landry, Corey Coleman, Antonio Callaway, and Rashard Higgins formed a group that had it all. The big-play threat to stretch the field in Gordon, the reliable slot in Landry, and Coleman and Callaway two young players who had all the athletic talent in the world.
That didn't end up working out, and Cleveland has been plagued by inconsistency from the WR position. Landry is an excellent player, but he does not have the size or speed to get separation every single play when he is the primary focus of the defense. Higgins has been very good, and Callaway is coming around after a difficult start to the season, but it still isn't enough. Former Ravens first-round bust Breshad Perriman is seeing the field quite a bit, and playing well, but when a team is forced to turn to a player like Perriman, something is wrong.
Beckham is everything the Browns need on offense. He is a bonafide top five WR in the league, and is on a Hall of Fame trajectory. His speed, athleticism, and physicality would give Baker Mayfield a top-tier offensive weapon. His mere presence on the field would open up things for Landry, and with a strong running game already in place, the Browns' offense would be ready to take the next step in 2019.
The second question is whether or not Beckham would want to play in Cleveland. The Browns have a reputation as being a death sentence for players and coaches, but it seems as if that stigma is finally wearing off. Cleveland is one of the youngest teams in the league, and has looked completely different since head coach Hue Jackson was fired.
Furthermore, Jarvis Landry is one of Beckham's closest friends, and Browns WR coach Adam Henry was with Beckham in college and in New York. There is familiarity there, and although Cleveland is not the major market that New York is, the Browns present a far superior football situation.
So we have determined that Beckham would be a perfect fit for Cleveland and that Beckham should want to play for the Browns. Now we must determine if Cleveland should be willing to pay the price. That price is twofold; draft capital (and the players that would be selected with that capital) and salary cap space. The salary situation is easier to come to a conclusion on, so we will start with that.
Cleveland is projected to have $87M in space next season, which is more than enough to take the hit of Beckham's $21 million cap hold in 2019. However, both Baker Mayfield and Myles Garrett will end up making over $20 million per year during their next contracts, probably over $25 million.
The Browns need to balance spending money in the present with saving enough for the future so as to not lose their young core. John Dorsey lost his job in Kansas City because of his inability to manage contracts well, so hopefully he has learned his lesson, and won't make the same mistake in Cleveland.
If the Browns absolutely need to, they can clear cap space fairly easily due to how the majority of their contracts are structured. Landry can be cut in 2020 for $4.5 million in dead money, in 2021 for $3 million, and in 2022 for $1.5 million. Beckham's deal is structured similarly. Yes, his five-year/$90 million deal looks daunting, but it's actually quite team friendly. He can be cut in 2021 for $8 million and in 2022 for $4 million. Cleveland can most definitely swallow the monetary sacrifice. The more difficult part will be coming to terms with giving up the necessary draft picks.
Odell Beckham will not come cheap, even if he were to demand a trade. He is one of the best in the game, is under team control on a good contract through 2023, and only just turned 26. Recent big trades may provide a glimpse of what his market could be.
The Dallas Cowboys traded a first-round pick for Amari Cooper, who is 24, and while he has showed flashes of great play, he is not the elite player that Beckham is. Cooper is also owed nearly $14 million next season, his fifth-year option. He would need to be extended afterwards, which will not come cheap, as players like Brandin Cooks and Sammy Watkins are making upwards of $16 million per season.
The Chicago Bears traded two first-rounders and a third-rounders to the Oakland Raiders for EDGE Khalil Mack, who is 28, and needed to be extended after a trade. However, the Bears also received a second-round pick, which is very interesting. EDGE is a more valuable position than WR is, so Mack is worth more than Beckham. It may not be a large difference, but there is one nonetheless.
The Browns have accumulated a large amount of picks, but most of them are in the later rounds. Cleveland's depth is good at some positions, but weak at others. However, the team is not waterproof enough to need only depth players. Major holes remain. The Browns still need a WR1, a LT, probably a RT, DT, DE, OLB, and CB.
Ideally, a starter is found in the mid to late rounds, as Dorsey has done before with Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Genard Avery, and others. But the first and second rounds are still the best place to find premium talent, and the Browns would be forced to give up the ability to fill some of their holes in order to acquire Beckham. However, with their abundant cap space and surplus of late round picks which can be packaged to move up, this is a sacrifice that they should be willing to make. It's not as if the two first rounders will be extremely high picks.
The Browns currently own the 12th overall pick, and that selection could be lower if the team continues to play like they have these past two weeks. Adding Beckham would only make their 2020 pick drop even more, so trading the hypothetical 14th and 23rd overall picks for an All-Pro WR in his prime is well worth doing.
Cleveland should offer its 2019 and 2020 first-round picks, plus late-round filler, in exchange for Beckham and New York's 2019 second-round selection. This would give the Giants four first-round picks over the next two years, which would jumpstart their rebuild, and give them the ability to get their franchise QB, whether they do that this year, or wait for 2020's coveted class.
The Browns receive an All-Pro WR who instantly transforms their offense, in addition to a high second-round pick which can be used to either fill a depth hole, or be packaged with Cleveland's own second-rounder to move back into the first and get an impact starter. Beckham's addition will help to draw in more high-profile free agents, and the Browns would in position to compete for a Super Bowl (crazy, right?) during Mayfield's rookie contract, following the precedent set by the Philadelphia Eagles.
It's not every day that the Cleveland Browns have the chance to add an All-Pro player in his prime at a position of need. Trading for Odell Beckham Jr. will require a costly sacrifice, but the Browns are now in a position they have not been in before; they have a contention window about to open, and they need to maximize their chance at winning while they can. Adding Odell Beckham Jr. is a great way to do just that.
Follow Us
Subscribe