Getty Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham.
Odell Beckham Jr. likely won’t play against the Indianapolis Colts in the Cleveland Browns second preseason game on Saturday, but that didn’t stop the wide receiver from putting to bed any concerns about the injury he’s dealing with in the pregame.
More than two hours before kickoff, Beckham was on the field with fellow Pro Bowl wide receiver Jarvis Landry and quarterback Baker Mayfield.
During the warm-up, OBJ snagged a ball in the corner of the end zone with one hand, tapping both feet in bounds and smiling from ear to ear as he ran back to the line of scrimmage. The Browns official Twitter provided the video.
It was reported this week that Beckham is dealing with a hip injury, which kept him out of team drills this week. The Browns newly-acquired star didn’t play in the team’s preseason opener against the Redskins, either.
Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens has been mum on how much the starters will play against the Colts, but it will likely be more than the single series most played against Washington.
However, Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported that with many of the starters getting in a ton of work against the Colts in joint practices this week, there’s a chance they don’t play much if at all on Saturday.
Odell Beckham Not Worried About Chemistry With Baker Mayfield
Beckham and Mayfield haven’t been able to put in any live reps against opponents other than their Browns teammates so far, but Beckham isn’t worried about their chemistry.
“We talk every day,” Beckham said. “We talk football. We talk about just the little ins and outs of football. Even when I’m watching him make other throws, I’m still coming to ask him what is it that you’re seeing.
“So it’s not something I’m worried about. It’s two competitive, fiery people, just the way that he is, I don’t want to let him down. So I’m going to do everything in my power to be exactly where I need to be when I need to be there and, as I’ve seen already, he’s going to deliver that ball.”
The feeling is mutual. Mayfield said the quest for chemistry on the field has gone well with OBJ, but he’s still wowed by some of the things Beckham can do on the field.
“He can do things I’ve never seen before,” Mayfield said in a recent Sports Illustratedinterview. “The pure talent is unreal. As we grow chemistry together, it can be pretty special. He makes my job easy. I’m happy to be able to be at camp with him and get better every day.”
Baker Mayfield, Odell Beckham Forming Strong Bond
GettyBrowns Odell Beckham and Baker Mayfiled
Beckham has thrived in his new scenery in Cleveland so far, and many times has showered Mayfield with praise, saying he’s the type of leader guys get behind.
“I was around him a lot during the offseason,” Beckham said. “We would go out to eat. We would do all that. But to be able to see him in his element in football, I love the leader he is. I love his attitude, his swagger. I love all that about him. It’s what made him, him.
“I had heard something [Kitchens] said: [Mayfield is] one of those people who had been told no all his life, so he wants to show you yes. It’s similar for me, so I understand him. That’s why I say I don’t really want to let him down. He’s somebody who’s worked to get to where they’re at and who was doubted pretty much all their life, so I understand him. I get him.”
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