Cleveland Browns Rumors & News - Pro Football Rumors

Browns Will Likely Move On From WR Odell Beckham Jr.

November 3rd, 2021 at 6:31pm CST by Ben Levine

It sounds like Odell Beckham Jr. is trying to force his way out of Cleveland, and the Browns wideout may get his wish. A source told Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com that Beckham’s stint with the Browns has likely come to an end, and the only question is how the organization will let go of the veteran receiver.

Beckham’s contract is the main complication surrounding a divorce. The wideout is still owed $8MM this season, and there’s a limited number of teams with the required cap space to claim the player off waivers. ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler tweets that Beckham could also “claim termination pay,” ensuring he’ll receive the rest of his money. If Beckham isn’t claimed on waivers, this means the Browns would be left with a significant chunk of dead cap.

The Browns considered moving Beckham at the deadline, discussing a trade with the Saints. Ultimately, the team held on to the receiver, but that was before the player’s father took to social media to criticize Baker Mayfield and the quarterback’s inability to click with his top receiver. Then, LeBron James chimed in, seemingly urging the Browns to trade his friend before the deadline. One day later, Beckham is still in Cleveland, though he’s absent from practice with a “personal matter”. For what it’s worth, Mayfield said earlier today that he’d welcome a conversation with Beckham and would prefer the receiver sticks with the team.

Beckham, 29 on Friday, has four 1,000+ yard seasons to his credit, but has yet to approach his gaudy 2015 and 2016 numbers with the Giants. Following a 2020 campaign where OBJ was limited to only 319 receiving yards in seven games, the veteran has collected 232 receiving yards in six games this season.

Browns’ Baker Mayfield On Odell Beckham Jr.

November 3rd, 2021 at 3:01pm CST by Zachary Links

Everyone in the Browns locker room wants to see Odell Beckham Jr. succeed, according to Baker Mayfield (Twitter link via Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN.com). The quarterback wants to iron out the ongoing rift between him and OBJ, though he says he’s keeping his focus on the field.

“Yeah i think any conversation would go a long way,” Mayfield said (Twitter links) “[As for a] resolution? I don’t know about that right now. [But], if he’s back, we’ll work through it and I can put my ego and pride aside to win.”

OBJ’s camp stirred the pot on Tuesday with a pair of viral posts on social media. First, Beckham’s father posted a highlight reel of miscommunications between his son and Mayfield. Then, LeBron James chimed in, seemingly urging the Browns to trade his friend before the deadline. One day later, Beckham is still in Cleveland, though he’s absent from practice with a “personal matter”.

Mayfield isn’t sure when he’ll touch base with Beckham, but Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski and GM Andrew Berry chatted with his agent earlier today. Beckham has no remaining guarantees on his contract, so the Browns could cut him in early 2022 with zero cap penalty. But, if the situation can’t be salvaged, they could consider releasing him right now. With the trade deadline in the rear view mirror, that would put one of the game’s most gifted talents on the waiver wire, available for all 31 teams.

Latest On Browns, Odell Beckham Jr.

November 3rd, 2021 at 12:17pm CST by Zachary Links

Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. did not practice today due to a “personal matter,” per the team’s official report. Meanwhile, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters that he and GM Andrew Berry are discussing Beckham’s status with his agent (Twitter link via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo).

It certainly seems like OBJ wants out of Cleveland, following yesterday’s social media posts from OBJ Sr. and pal LeBron James. The Browns considered trading him to the Saints before Tuesday’s deadline, but ultimately decided to keep him.

Beckham is also dealing with a shoulder injury, a recurring theme throughout his career. Via one injury or another, he hasn’t enjoyed a healthy season since 2019. Meanwhile, the drama has been non-stop over the last three years.

“[Baker Mayfield is] either hating on Odell or he just doesn’t want him shining,” Odell Beckham Sr. wrote on Instagram yesterday, right around LeBron’s #FreeOBJ tweet.

Beckham, 29 on Friday, has four 1,000+ yard seasons to his credit, but has yet to approach his gaudy 2015 and 2016 numbers with the Giants. Technically speaking, he’s tied to the Browns through 2023. But, in reality, it’s more of a year-to-year arrangement. He’s set to count for more than $15MM against the cap in 2022 and 2023, but his deal has no remaining guarantees.

If the Browns wind up releasing OBJ during the season, he’ll be subject to the waiver wire as a post-deadline cut. From there, teams would have 24 hours to claim the wide receiver and the remainder of his contract.

Minor NFL Transactions: 11/2/21

November 2nd, 2021 at 8:47pm CST by Zachary Links

Today’s minor moves:

Atlanta Falcons

Promoted: LB Daren Bates, LB James Vaughters
Waived: LB Dorian Etheridge

Baltimore Ravens

Released via injury settlement: T Andre Smith

Cleveland Browns

Waived: FB Johnny Stanton

Dallas Cowboys

Placed on IR: LB Jabril Cox (story)
Waived: DE Bradlee Anae

Detroit Lions

Designated for return: T Taylor Decker, DL Devin Strong

Green Bay Packers

Promoted: LS Steven Wirtel
Waived: LS Hunter Bradley

Los Angeles Rams

Signed off Chiefs’ practice squad: LB Christian Rozeboom
Placed on IR: WR Tutu Atwell (story), LB Travin Howard
Waived: LB Jonah Williams

New York Jets

Designated to return: LB Hamsah Nasirildeen
Promoted: S Jarrod Wilson
Waived: LB Noah Dawkins

Pittsburgh Steelers

Promoted: LB Taco Charlton

San Francisco 49ers

Waived: LB Tyrell Adams, K Joey Slye

Washington Football Team

Designated for return: TE Logan Thomas
Waived: TE Jace Sternberger

Saints, Browns Discussed Odell Beckham Jr. Trade

November 2nd, 2021 at 3:29pm CST by Zachary Links

The Browns and Saints discussed a trade that would have sent Odell Beckham Jr. to New Orleans (Twitter link via ESPN.com’s Kimberley A. Martin). Ultimately, the two sides couldn’t get a deal done, largely due to OBJ’s salary.

No offers came in that would have made sense for the Browns, per Dianna Russini of ESPN.com. Although there are no post-2021 guarantees in Beckham’s Giants-constructed contract, the eighth-year wide receiver is due more than $7MM in base salary for the rest of this season. He has also struggled (again) to carve out a steady role in Cleveland’s offense this season.

Beckham hasn’t been totally healthy since 2019, when he notched 74 catches for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns for the Browns. Meanwhile, he’s spent much of his Cleveland tenure at odds with coaches and management. Today, his camp seems to have stoked the flames of a potential trade sending him elsewhere.

Odell Beckham Sr. posted a video on Instagram of his son breaking open on various routes that did not produce targets from Baker Mayfield. The elder Beckham also appeared to endorse a comment that read “[Mayfield is] either hating on Odell or he just doesn’t want him shining,” via ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter. LeBron James weighed in on OBJ’s status as well, dropping a #FreeOBJ into a tweet supporting a player who has never truly fit in the Browns’ offense.

Cleveland acquired Beckham in March 2019, sending Jabrill Peppers and a first-round pick (which ended up being defensive lineman Dexter Lawrence) to New York. Beckham made three Pro Bowls as a Giant and totaled four 1,000-yard seasons in five years with his initial team, but in addition to never fitting in with the Browns, the soon-to-be 29-year-old weapon has been frequently hurt. He played through injuries in 2019 and suffered an ACL tear in 2020 — one that kept him out for the first two games of this season. In six games upon returning, Beckham has only topped the two-reception mark twice. He caught one pass for six yards in the Browns’ Week 8 loss to the Steelers.

The Saints are still waiting for All-Pro Michael Thomas‘ return from a late-offseason surgery, though they have since seen fourth-year contributor Tre’Quan Smith return. No Saints pass catcher has topped 300 yards this season, with Marquez Callaway leading the way with 284 yards — a chunk of those coming on a Hail Mary reception in Washington. The Saints cleared more than $100MM in cap space earlier this year, so adding Beckham’s base salary likely would not have been a deal-breaker for a team perpetually up against the salary ceiling. But the sides could not agree on terms, ensuring OBJ will finish a third season in Cleveland.

Browns Won’t Trade Odell Beckham Jr.

November 2nd, 2021 at 9:58am CST by Zachary Links

Sounds like Odell Beckham Jr. is staying put. The Browns have no plans on trading the star wide receiver before the afternoon deadline, according to sources who spoke with Dianna Russini of ESPN.com (Twitter link). The Browns have gotten calls on Beckham, but Russini hears that none of the offers were to their liking.

The Browns had at least some interest in listening, given Beckham’s health issues. Last year, a torn ACL shut him down after Week 7. This year, he’s been dealing with a shoulder malady. OBJ has been active since Week 3, but he’s not quite 100% healed up. His best games to date came against the Bears (5 catches for 77 yards) and, more recently, the Cardinals (5/79). Outside of that, we haven’t seen the vintage OBJ in 2021.

All in all, Beckham has 17 catches for 232 yards and zero touchdowns in his six games. His last healthy season came in 2019, when he reeled in 74 grabs for 1,035 yards and four scores. Despite the hiccups, the Browns seem prepared to keep him and pay out the ~$9MM he’s still owed for 2021.

The Browns are 4-4 following Sunday’s loss to the Steelers. Stationed fourth in the sardine-packed AFC North, they don’t seem inclined to sell off their stars between now and 4pm ET/3pm CT.

Browns’ Jack Conklin Suffers Dislocated Elbow

November 1st, 2021 at 12:54pm CST by Zachary Links

Browns coach Kevin Stefanski says Jack Conklin will miss “multiple weeks” with a dislocated elbow (via Dan Labbe of Cleveland.com). Stefanski did not specify a timeline for the right tackle, but it’s likely that he’ll be placed on short-term injured reserve.

Conklin returned to face the Steelers yesterday after missing the prior two games with a knee injury. The 2020 First-Team All-Pro was expected to provide a big boost to the front five, though his presence wasn’t enough in the 15-10 defeat.

The Browns will likely deploy tackle/guard Blake Hance on the right side, but they may need some reinforcements behind him. Currently, fourth-round rookie James Hudson stands as the team’s only other true reserve tackle.

Conklin remains under contract through 2022 thanks to his three-year, $42MM deal. The former No. 8 overall pick will only be 28 when that deal expires, setting him up for an even bigger payday down the line. In the more immediate future, Conklin will aim for a pre-Thanksgiving return as the Browns fight to salvage their season.

Browns Likely To Be Quiet At Trade Deadline

October 31st, 2021 at 12:19pm CST by Rory Parks

The Browns, currently sitting at 4-3 and in third place in the AFC North, are not expected to swing a major deal in advance of Tuesday’s trade deadline, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. Cabot does not anticipate the club acquiring a high-profile talent or trading one away.

Wide receiver Odell Beckham became the subject of trade speculation even before his first season in Cleveland was over, and those rumors have continued to crop up ever since. The Browns have done their best to quash all such rumblings, and Beckham will likely stay put at least through the end of the 2021 campaign. After all, he is dealing with a painful sprain in his right shoulder, and he is still owed $9MM over the rest of the season, so even if Cleveland were interesting in making a trade, there are obvious hurdles.

Plus, the Browns have every reason to keep Beckham around. Although he and QB Baker Mayfield have yet to develop a consistent rapport, OBJ continues to get open and remains an elite talent, so it would be surprising to see a Cleveland outfit that has postseason aspirations make that type of trade.

The same logic applies to tight ends David Njoku and Austin Hooper. Neither player has offered much production in 2021 — aside from a monster Week 5 game for Njoku that accounted for over half of his 2021 receiving yards and his only touchdown — but the hope is that the passing game will improve as the season goes on, just as it did last year. Njoku is playing on an expiring contract and requested a trade on several occasions last summer, but his most recent comments on the matter suggested that he would like to remain in Cleveland, and Cabot expects both him and Hooper to still be Browns once the deadline has passed.

Speaking of Mayfield, Cabot says the No. 1 overall pick of the 2018 draft will likely require offseason surgery on his injured shoulder. His injury has complicated extension talks, and now, if an extension is reached, it probably won’t happen until after the season. Mayfield is under club control through 2022 via the fifth-year option of his rookie deal, which the Browns exercised earlier this year.

In related news, Cleveland does have starting RT Jack Conklin back in action for today’s critical matchup with the Steelers. Conklin had missed the prior two games with a knee injury.