The Browns will be without Jarvis Landry for a bit, but their other well-paid wide receiver is set to make his 2021 debut. Kevin Stefanski said Friday that Odell Beckham Jr. is good to go for Week 3.
Beckham suffered a torn ACL October 25 of last year, and although the Browns moved forward and snapped their near-two-decade playoff drought without him, the team certainly could use him now. Landry is on IR, and no other Browns wideout has more than three catches this season.
It looked like OBJ would be ready for Week 1, after the team was “amazed” with the eighth-year receiver’s recovery ahead of training camp. But the Browns scratched him after warmups in Kansas City. They then ruled him out early for Week 2, leading to some additional concern. The 28-year-old target will step back into a key role Sunday against the Bears. Beckham did not miss any practice reps this week, per Stefanski.
Beckham played hurt in 2019 but managed to clear the 1,000-yard barrier. And he scored three touchdowns, including the game-winner, in a shootout against the Cowboys last season. But Beckham’s two Browns yards-per-game figures — 64.7 and 45.6, respectively — are by far the lowest of his career, however. The injury injected additional uncertainty regarding Beckham’s long-term future.
While it is no secret Beckham’s Browns tenure has underwhelmed, both from a health and fit standpoint, he will have a key opportunity to rebuild his stock beginning Sunday.