Browns fans rejoice, because your new king of Cleveland, Odell Beckham Jr., is “ready to go” according to head coach Freddie Kitchens.
After trading for Beckham Jr. in March, Cleveland Browns fans have been champing at the bit in excitement to see their new prized position hit the playing field. Yet since arriving in Cleveland, OBJ has been battling with what the team described as a “minor” hip injury. Beckham Jr. did not suit up for any games during the preseason, but is on track to finally strap it up for the Browns in week 1 of the regular season vs. the Titans.
High Expectations
Browns WR’s Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry
With Beckham Jr.’s arrival at the Dawg Pound, also comes arguably the highest expectation in franchise history. After finally cutting bait with Hue Jackson and OC Todd Haley after 33-18 shellacking at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Browns were awoken. Freddie Kitchens helped unleash Baker Mayfield’s dangerous side, bumping his passer rating by nearly 30 compared to when Todd Haley was calling the plays.
OBJ joins his former LSU teammate and long-time friend Jarvis Landry to help create one of the most prolific wide receiver tandems in the league. Talent is oozing out of the Browns offense, and it doesn’t end with the wideouts. Running back Nick Chubb took the league by storm when he was inserted in the starting lineup as a rookie one season ago. Former pro-bowl running back Kareem Hunt will eventually join Chubb after his 8-game suspension, to make for one of the most lethal running back tandems in the NFL. Mayfield will have a plethora of weapons within his arsenal, and for once Odell will not need to do everything within an offense for it to succeed.
OBJ is Ready to Remind You He’s Elite
Odell Beckham Jr. has been dealt a bad hand in recent years. For a player who endures so much scrutiny, you would be surprised to find that his worst off-field transgression was sharing a pizza with a model in a hotel room.
Beckham Jr. has dealt with plenty of injuries since he took the league by storm in his first three years. Over Beckham Jr.’s first 43 NFL games he racked up a ridiculous stat line of 288 receptions, 4,122 receiving yards, and 35 touchdowns. Since then, Odell has escaped the minds of many fans thanks to poor quarterback play, abysmal offensive play-calling, and the arrival of other talented pass catchers in the league.
For years in New York, it was either Odell on a go-route, or Odell on a slant, and hope he breaks it for a touchdown. Now in Cleveland, Beckham Jr. gets to finally work within an offense that truly fits his skill set. Beckham Jr. will receive less double teams thanks to the presence of Jarvis Landry, David Njoku, and others. Though it’s not as though that has affected him in the past, as he led all NFL receivers in success vs. double-teams who were double-teamed at least three times. Beckham Jr. was double-teamed 38 times, the most in the NFL.
Expect Baker Mayfield to connect with a healthy Odell Beckham Jr. early and often this coming season for the Browns. I’m not sure if Cleveland will meet the lofty expectations bestowed upon them as a team, but Odell is primed to shut his haters up.
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Odell Beckham Jr. ‘Ready to Go’ Week 1 vs. Tennessee