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David Njoku is putting on the full-court press to try to get Odell Beckham Jr. back in a Cleveland Browns jersey.
Njoku has documented his recruiting efforts through social media, showing the conversation he’s been having with Beckham, who remains a free agent after winning a Super Bowl with the Rams. Njoku challenged Beckham to a game of online pool, with the stakes being he would “consider” coming back to Cleveland if Njoku won.
Whats the update on the 8ball series with OBJ??! @David_Njoku80
From the latest update, it looks like Njoku ended up losing the battle, putting any “consideration” from Beckham on hold.
“Never thought I’d see the day my brother cheat me like that,” Njoku tweeted. “Final score -OBJ 30. Chief -28. Blasphemous to say the least!!”
Browns Teammates Praised Beckham After Departure
The Browns released Beckham last year in an ugly divorce, bringing to end a tumultuous tenure in Cleveland following a blockbuster trade in 2019. However, it’s never been a question about what kind of presence he was in the locker room, with multiple former teammates gushing over Beckham. Second-year defenders Greg Newsome and Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah said OBJ was among the best teammates they’ve ever had during an appearance on the “Varisty House” podcast.
“Odell has got to be one of the best teammates I’ve had,” said Owusu-Koramoah. “Nah, he’s the best teammate I’ve done had,” Newsome interrupted.
It was reported earlier this offseason that the Browns were at least discussing the possibility of bringing Beckham back on, per Armando Salguero of Outkick.
The Cleveland Browns, the team which released Beckham before he signed with Los Angeles last season, have had internal discussions about bringing him back, per a source.
Browns veteran safety John Johnson III was open that — like Njoku — he was trying to recruit Beckham this offseason. Johnson sparked speculation with a tweet that read: “OBJ coming back. You ain’t hear it from me though.” He explained the message in June.
“That was me recruiting,” Johnson said, per the Akron Beacon Journal. “Honestly, there was no backstory to it. There was no insider information. It was just like, ‘I want him here. I’ve got a feeling that he might come back.’ But I don’t know. We’ll see.”
Beckham Expressed Regrets Over Ending in Cleveland
Beckham’s exit from the Browns was expedited following his father posting a video calling out then-quarterback Baker Mayfield. Beckham really didn’t talk too much about how things ended until Super Bowl week, expressing regret over how things went.
“One of the biggest regrets I have about the way things ended is I didn’t have … it’s like having a breakup but there really was no closure,” he told reporters in February before the Super Bowl. “It was just it. One of the things I’ve always been big on in my life is closure because if you don’t have closure, the doors – if they’re not closed – they are always still open. Having to leave and leave these guys you had lifetime friendships with – they’re your brothers, and it was just so abrupt.”
What made it a little easier for Beckham was the fact that he got to become a contributor on a Super Bowl-winning team. In the playoffs alone, Beckham notched 288 yards and two touchdowns. He tore his ACL in the Super Bowl and is not expected to be ready for the start of the year, which has remained a big reason he’s still a free agent.
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