Tom Brady Pushing Buccaneers to Trade for Browns Star

Tom Brady has not given up on the dream of throwing passes to Odell Beckham Jr., with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB urging the defending Super Bowl champions to trade for the Cleveland Browns star.

ESPN’s Adam Schefter discussed the latest development surrounding the Brady and Beckham love affair on Monday’s edition of Get Up.

“While Tampa Bay and Tom Brady might want Odell Beckham Jr. there, can they fit in his contract? Can they make that work? I guess you could always try to make due with whatever you want, but I think it’s challenging to fit a wide receiver in at that number on top of everything else they’re trying to get done there,” Schefter said.

It’s not the first time this offseason that Beckham has been linked to the Bucs. Schefter’s ESPN colleague Jeff Darlington first reported the interest from the Bucs on Beckham.

“I’m going to say it, but there is a caveat that comes with it — I’m going to say Odell Beckham Jr.,” Darlington said when asked which players could be on the way to join Brady in Tampa Bay following the Super Bowl. “I’m going to say that because of the relationship between Tom Brady and Odell. Fully understanding that this would take a lot to actually make this happen. Keep in mind that Tom Brady did not, before the start of this season, pitch [general manager] Jason Licht on the idea of Odell coming down to [Tampa], despite the fact that those guys would like to play together at some point.”

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Beckham’s Contract Makes Trade Difficult to Envision

The sticking point with a trade for Beckham is his massive cap hit, which sits at $15.75 million. That’s not an easy number to swallow for a receiver that has seen his production dwindle in recent years and is coming off a torn ACL. On top of that, the Bucs have their own players to worry about, with Rob Gronkowski, Ndamukong Suh, Chris Godwin, Shaquil Barrett, Antonio Brown and Lavonte David all set to be free agents.

The Browns have also been fairly adamant that Beckham — who has three years left on his deal — is a long-term piece.

“He is very, very committed to getting back to 100 percent,” Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters last week. “He is well on his way in his rehab. Excited about his future.”

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Beckham, Brady Have Long History

Beckham and Brady have made their admiration for each other very public over the years. The two had an extended chat outside of the locker room when the Patriots played the Browns in 2019. Beckham also gifted Brady a pair of unique goat-haired cleats, a sign that he believed Brady to be the NFL GOAT — greatest of all time. Brady has only added to that claim since, winning another Super Bowl with a new franchise.

“That was always a dream of mine to play for Tom Brady,” Beckham said in 2019, his first season in Cleveland.

“He’s not human, to be playing the way he’s still playing, mentally prepared every single game, decisive decisions, knows how to manage a game,” Beckham added. “He’s just very smart, he’s the best to ever do it. I don’t think anybody could argue it. He’s just the greatest, so I definitely want some of the water that he’s drinking. That’s who everyone — I know for me, as well — we all are inspired to be like.”

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