Getty Cleveland Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Thanks to some key offseason additions, the expectations for the Cleveland Browns this season are astronomical.
But one analyst in particular is heaping high hopes on the Browns, specifically Odell Beckham Jr. and Baker Mayfield.
Wearing a ridiculous outfit for his “NateStradamus” segment, NFL Network’s Nate Burleson — a former player — said that he expects the Browns new No. 1 wide receiver and Mayfield to connect for 200 yards in their first game together against the Titans on Sunday.
“I’ll tell you now that a man named Baker Mayfield and a man named Odell Beckham will connect for 200 yards in their first game together,” Burleson said. “The wide receiver and the connection with Baker Mayfield is going to be unbelievable. They don’t trade for an individual and pay him that much money to not throw him the ball.
Beckham has accomplished the feat once, collecting 222 yards and a pair of touchdowns against the Baltimore Ravens in 2016. Even more impressively, he did so on just eight catches.
He also got close to that number with an 185-yard performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in 2014.
Burleson had previously ripped Beckham for his placement in the NFL’s Top 100 Players.
“I’ll praise him whenever he needs to be praised, but I’ll criticize him and motivate him whenever I find the lane to,” Burleson said. “I’m not sure if he was given the 23rd spot because he earned it.”
Beckham didn’t need a ton of words to respond to Burleson and he did so in a classy way. The wide receiver wrote on Twitter: “No doubt bruddda!! Gotta go harder.”
Odell Beckham Will Debut Against the Titans
Beckham hasn’t played in any of the Browns preseason games and was limited during training camp with a hip injury.
However, the star pass-catcher isn’t worried about the injury having an impact on his chemistry with Mayfield.
Beckham said previously that the Browns “have a plan to limit him because otherwise he would overexert himself and risk making a minor injury worse.”
Beckham returned for a full, padded practice on Aug. 27 and is expected to suit up for Week 1 with no issues.
“We talk every day,” Beckham told reporters after the injury was revealed. “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.”
Odell Beckham, Baker Mayfield Have Special Connection
Beckham has praised Mayfield multiple times since arriving in Cleveland — a start contrast to his time with the Giants, where OBJ was often critical of Eli Manning.
He’s made it very clear that Mayfield is his guy and he doesn’t want to let him down.
“When you have a guy like that, you never want to let him down,” Beckham said when asked about his quarterback. “There’s a reason he was the first pick. I just let him tell me what he thinks I should do and I’m just gonna do that. And he’s going to put it where it needs to be.”