Getty Images Jarvis Landry, Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr.
It’s clear Cleveland Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. wanted a ticket out of town at the trade deadline and he nearly landed back home in New Orleans with the Saints.
The Browns took calls on Beckham and were in talks with the Saints for the polarizing pass-catcher. However, the sides could not agree on the money Beckham is owed for the remainder of the season, per ESPN’s Kimberley A. Martin.
“I’m told there were discussions re: Odell going to the Saints — but both sides couldn’t agree on a workable deal, given how much OBJ is owed the rest of the year,” Martin tweeted. “Plus, there still is optimism in the #Browns building that OBJ can be a big part of their second-half playoff push.”
Beckham is still on the massive deal he signed with the Giants and is owed more than $8 million this season. That’s a lot for a team to pay a one-time great receiver who hasn’t had the same flash the last two and a half seasons in Cleveland.
The Saints are currently without star pass-catcher Michael Thomas but could have landed some help with Beckham. To compound the Saints’ issues, they will also be without starting quarterback Jameis Winston, who tore his ACL in a win against the Buccaneers on Sunday.
Browns Want to Make Beckham Work
The Browns refused to sell low on Beckham at the trade deadline and Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski feels like he can do a better job integrating the four-time Pro Bowler into the offense. He caught just one pass for six yards last week.
“First and foremost, I need to do a better job,” Stefanski said on Monday, November 1. “I really do. I need to make sure that I put him in position to make some plays and I didn’t do a good enough job, certainly yesterday. Having said that, he gets a lot of attention from the defense. There were a bunch of plays where the safety is cheating to him and that opens up opportunities for other guys.
“I think of an early third down that we had where the post safety stayed to the boundary side because he was cheating towards Odell and we hit a big play to Jarvis, so his effect on our offense is there. But I do need to do a better job of making sure the ball makes its way into his hands.”
Baker Mayfield Trying Not to ‘Force’ Ball to Beckham
The complicated on-field relationship between Beckham and Baker Mayfield became even more complicated after a drama-filled trade deadline, with OBJ’s father calling out his son’s quarterback on social media.
“Generally Behind Da Scene, BUT NOT TODAY,” the elder Beckham wrote, with a series of hashtags that read “playinghurt,” “disrespectful” and “7-eleven,” a reference meaning he’s always open. The post had nearly 15,000 likes and drew responses from big names like Portland Trail Blazer’s guard Damian Lillard and former Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant.
Mayfield knows he has to be better but doesn’t want to force any passes.
“We have to find ways to format it and get the ball in his hands,” Mayfield said. “We’re not trying to force it to anybody. We have a talented skill group so I just have to continue to go through my reads and do that. We can do a better job of getting the ball in his hands, getting him going early and fixing that.”
The Browns face the Bengals on Sunday in another crucial AFC North mathup. FiveThirtyEigth currently gives them a 33% chance of making the playoffs.