Rapoport: Beckham May Have Played Last Game in Cleveland
NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport has suggested that Odell Beckham may have played his final game as a member of the Cleveland Browns. While that might prove true, some of his evidence as to why Beckham may not be a member of the Browns after this season feel like a stretch.
Beckham has suffered a torn ACL and has the rehab that comes with it still to come. And as Rapoport points out, simply releasing Beckham is unrealistic given the cap ramifications that would come with it. They would have to keep him on the roster and then trade him next season.
Combined with what could be an issue of fit between Beckham and Baker Mayfield, it may be prudent to move on from Beckham and focus their approach to wide receiver elsewhere, perhaps finding a better fit for Mayfield.
The idea that Beckham has never embraced or fit in with the Browns certainly does not feel true, largely picking up on something that has been floating around since the Browns acquired Beckham from the New York Giants.
Beckham himself has said the first year was a challenge, but that it was mostly due to the ailments he was battling. In his second year, he had shown to be a real asset in the locker room and helping to bring this group together. The relationship between he and Mayfield was a positive one with mutual admiration.
Perhaps Mayfield and Beckham aren't a great fit, but even if that proves to be the case, that has no bearing on their personal relationship or Beckham's as it relates to the team. Maybe Rapoport has concrete evidence for his conclusions, but it feels like unnecessary padding to make the story more tantalizing.
If Beckham is traded next year, it will not be about a lack of buy in from Beckham, but merely a team trying to find the better fit for their offense and the pressure will be on them to make it a good one.
