Regrading the Odell Beckham Jr. trade after Dexter Lawrence contract

Odell Beckham Jr. trade regrade after Dexter Lawrence contract: Browns

As mentioned earlier, Odell Beckham Jr. was supposed to help propel the Browns into a playoff contender. After all, Baker Mayfield had won Rookie of the Year after throwing a record-breaking 27 touchdowns as a rookie signal caller. Not to mention that Beckham was reuniting with former LSU teammate Jarvis Landry.

In his first year, Beckham caught 74-of-133 targets for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns. The Browns didn’t even make the playoffs that year, finishing with a 6-10 record, which resulted in head coach Freddie Kitchen’s firing.

Beckham’s 2020 campaign didn’t last long, as he suffered a torn ACL seven weeks into the season. Cleveland was able to make it to the playoffs that year and won a postseason game for the first time since 1994, without Beckham.

Then, things got ugly in 2021 between the wide receiver and Browns. Beckham had requested a trade multiple times that year. Odell Beckham Sr., the wide receiver’s father, escalated things by posting videos of his son being open downfield but Mayfield not throwing to him. That even got Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James involved, as he tweeted out “#FreeOBJ.” Ultimately, both teams agreed to a release.

Beckham cleared waivers, signed with the Los Angeles Rams and won Super Bowl 56,. but tore his ACL in the first half.

This was supposed to be the move to help bring Cleveland their first Super Bowl title. Instead, they watched Beckham hoist the Lombardi Trophy the same year where they mutually agreed to part ways. The trade didn’t work out for Cleveland, but credit to them for trying to change their reputation from being perennial losers in the NFL into contenders.

Browns trade regrade: D