Getty Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
New team, new town, new look for Odell Beckham Jr.
The outspoken wide receiver was traded to the Cleveland Browns from the New York Giants in a deal that sent shockwaves through the NFL. The blockbuster sent first- and third-round picks and safety Jabrill Peppers to the Giants in exchange for Beckham, giving Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield a pair of Pro Bowl pass-catchers to work with. The team traded for Jarvis Landry — Beckham’s best friend and teammate at LSU — last offseason.
It seems like Beckham is ready for a completely fresh start with his new squad.
Beckham, who is known for his faded mohawk with bleached tips, showed off a completely new look at the 2019 ESPYS on Wednesday night. The Browns’ wide receiver showed off a clean new cut at the annual awards show, keeping his patented beard.
OBJ with the new look 🔥
Beckham has won a pair of ESPYs in his career. He won “Best Play” for his one-handed grab in 2015 and paired it with the “Best Breakthrough Athlete” award.
Beckham has been in California this offseason training and also for quarterback Baker Mayfield’s wedding, which was held over the weekend.
Odell Challenges Aaron Rodgers, Patrick Mahomes to Throwing Contest
GettyCleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham is known for making some of the best catches in the game. But the Cleveland Browns star wide receiver also has a cannon for an arm.
While working out at UCLA, video was captured of OBJ throwing a ball what looks like the length of a short practice field.
“Boom,” Pittsburgh Steelers corner and former Brown Joe Haden can be heard saying. “That was the length of the field — like 70 yards.”
After the video came out, Beckham took to Twitter to playfully call out two of the best quarterback in the game — Aaron Rodgers and Patrick Mahomes.
“Man where AR12 and Pat 15 at!!!!,” Beckham wrote. “Tell em we need to have a throw off.”
Beckham has shown off his arm before in a live game and finished last year with a perfect quarterback rating of 158.3. He connected with rookie Saquon Barkley on a highlight reel 57-yard bomb on a cross-field pass that really showed off his arm strength. In a hilarious twist, the play was just a yard shy of Eli Manning’s season-long touchdown pass.
OBJ did it again later in the season, flicking a 49-yard pass to Russell Shepard over the middle, becoming the first receiver to throw two touchdowns in a season since Antwaan Randle El in 2010.
Odell Beckham Is ‘Giddy’ to Get Going With Browns
GettyCleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Beckham signed a monster deal with the Giants last offseason, which still stands as the most lucrative among wide receivers. However, the relationship seemed to sour last season as he openly criticized his quarterback Eli Manning and seemed generally unhappy as the team struggled.
“I just felt with the Giants I was just stuck at a place that wasn’t working for me anymore. I felt like I wasn’t going to be able to reach my full potential there; mentally, physically, spiritually, everything I felt capable of doing, I just couldn’t see it happening there,” Beckham told Complex UK. “So I think allowing me to be in an environment where I can be myself and give it a different approach, I feel like my football will benefit. I’m just excited about being able to play football again and not have to deal with all the other stuff and politics that came with my previous role.”
At minicamp last month, Beckham made clear that he’s very happy to be in Cleveland with a team that suddenly has playoff — and even Super Bowl — aspirations.
Beckham has only played in the playoffs once, which was in 2017 against the Packers. He managed just four catches for 28 yards.
Now with a new look and a fresh start, he’s ready to get going.
“Words don’t even really do it justice for me,’’ said Beckham. “I’m almost giddy, I feel like a little kid with the excitement that I have, seeing Baker, seeing these guys. You know we talk a lot about this offense but this defense is something special and this team is really coming together.’’
Much of that excitement is linked to Mayfield, who Beckham quickly learned is much different than his previous quarterback with both his demeanor and skill set.
“I’ve watched Baker since Oklahoma … he’s got an arm,” Beckham said. “I have to get adjusted to the speed. He’s throwing that ball hard. Just catching them from him the first day it was completely different.”
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Odell Beckham Embraces Change, Looks Completely Different