Getty Odell Beckham Jr. #13 of the Cleveland Browns warms up prior to the game Arizona Cardinals at FirstEnergy Stadium on October 17, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Cleveland Browns are in need of another wide receiver, and a talented one with which they are very familiar remains an unsigned free agent as July approaches.
Odell Beckham Jr. exited the organization roughly half a season ago, joining the eventual Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. Beckham was productive in L.A., including a touchdown grab in the title game, but suffered an ACL tear shortly before halftime. An unrestricted free agent for the last several months, Beckham appears to be playing out the string as he waits for the best and/or most lucrative opportunity to join a contender.
The Browns have been floated as a potential option for the three-time Pro Bowl pass catcher, and the organization has had internal discussions about bringing Beckham back into the fold, according to Armando Salguero of Outkick.
Beckham has flirted with the idea of a reunion publicly and the chances he might return appeared on the uptick after Cleveland traded with the Houston Texans for quarterback Deshaun Watson in March to replacement four-year starter Baker Mayfield under center.
Beckham and Mayfield struggled to get on the same page during their two and a half seasons together with the Browns, and problems within the relationship contributed to the receiver’s abrupt exit from the franchise in 2021.
However, TMZ Sports reported on Wednesday, June 29, that Beckham had secured the sale of his Ohio mansion for $3.3 million. While it is possible he is making a personal financial decision and could choose to relocate within the state, Beckham’s move to part with the property sends a strong message that wherever he decides to play football in 2022, it won’t be in Cleveland.
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Browns Urged to Sign Former All-Pro Julio Jones to One-Year Deal
GettyWide receiver Julio Jones, formerly of the Tennessee Titans, warms up before a game against the Arizona Cardinals at Nissan Stadium on September 12, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Silas Walker/Getty Images)
With Beckham looking less and less likely to start over in Cleveland, the Browns have been urged to add another veteran wide receiver who can play second fiddle to Amari Cooper, who the team acquired via trade from the Dallas Cowboys this offseason.
Currently sitting with more than $42 million in salary cap space, the most in all of the NFL, the team certainly has the money to make that happen. The question is who to bring in.
Two-time All Pro Julio Jones is among the top names left on the free agent market, coming off a disappointing season with the Tennessee Titans in which he played just 10 games and posted career lows of 31 catches for 434 yards and just one touchdown, per Pro Football Reference. While Jones’s advanced age and recent downturn in production are unquestionably red flags, he may be worth the risk if the Browns can bring him in at a bargain price.
Browns Could Likely Acquire Julio Jones For $10 Million or Less
GettyWide receiver Julio Jones, formerly of the Tennessee Titans, runs with the ball against the Indianapolis Colts during the first quarter of a game at Nissan Stadium on September 26, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
Jake Rill of Bleacher Report wrote that the Browns would be making a mistake by not at least kicking the tires on a deal for Jones, who Brad Spielberger of Pro Football Focus projected would sign a one-year contract this offseason for a fully guaranteed $10 million.
“Even though Jones is now 33 and possibly past his prime, he may still be poised for a bounce-back season after a disappointing 2021 campaign,” Rill said. “If Jones stays healthy, though, he may play closer to the way he did from 2014-19, when he had at least 1,394 receiving yards in each of those seasons. That would be a huge boost to Cleveland’s passing offense, and it could then have a potent duo in Cooper and Jones.”
It is not out of the realm of possibility that Jones could be convinced to take less guaranteed money than Spielberger suggested and allow more of his salary to be tied to incentives, affording the Browns a measure of financial protection while allowing Jones the chance to improve his value as part of a contending team and make a run at one more big NFL contract.