Von Miller Confirms Odell Beckham Jr. Never Wanted to be in Cleveland
As the Los Angeles Rams prepare for the NFC Championship, Von Miller has provided the latest evidence that Odell Beckham Jr. was planning to separate himself from the Cleveland Browns before the season ever started.
Miller and Beckham trained together, recovering from their respective injuries in Colorado Springs this past offseason. In a storyline straight out of the NBA, Miller, still a member of the Denver Broncos introduced the idea of playing together, even going as far as mentioning the possibility of doing it with the Browns.
Per Greg Bishop of Sports Illustrated, Beckham told Miller. "Don't come to Cleveland."
The season played out and Miller ended up being traded to the Rams for a second and third round pick. Beckham, when the Browns were unwilling to trade him, attempted the football equivalent of arson to force his way into being released.
His father released a video savaging Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield as well as the team's head coach Kevin Stefanski. The two sides came to an agreement in the following days for Beckham to be released, who would then sign with the Rams.
It worked and as the Rams succeed, Beckham is celebrated, allies insist he's back, as good as he ever was.
Whether the Rams win the Super Bowl or not, the Browns did what they had to do, ridding themselves of a player who had gone beyond simply operating in bad faith. He was actively damaging the team.
When engaged and happy to on a team, Beckham can be a factor, an asset to a team. As he approaches free agency, having sabotaged two different teams if he isn't hurting his own earning power. There will be teams that want Beckham, believing he can be at least a reasonable facsimile of the star that took the league by storm.
It's a shame the Browns spent over $40 million for unrealized potential and disappointment, but they at least have moved on and can work to be better off without him. Again.
