Odell Beckham Jr. Rumors: Browns 'Unlikely' to Sign WR to Contract in Free Agency
June 9, 2022
It is "unlikely" the Cleveland Browns will sign free-agent wideout Odell Beckham Jr., Nate Ulrich of the Akron Beacon Journal reported Wednesday.
No surprise there, as Beckham's stint with Cleveland ended when he was released in November after a falling-out with quarterback Baker Mayfield.
Beckham, a three-time Pro Bowler, never clicked with Mayfield, catching just 114 passes for 1,586 yards and seven touchdowns in 29 games across three seasons.
To put those numbers in perspective, Beckham caught 96 passes for 1,450 yards and 13 touchdowns in 2015, his best season, and averaged 1,095 yards per season in his five years with the New York Giants, which included a four-game campaign in 2017.
Shortly after his release from the Browns, Beckham signed with the Los Angeles Rams. He tore his ACL in the Super Bowl, though not before registering 21 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns in four postseason games, including a score in the Super Bowl.
While the Rams have Cooper Kupp, Allen Robinson II and Van Jefferson at wideout, Beckham established a rapport with Matthew Stafford, and a return to Los Angeles seems to be a possibility.
Beckham even crashed Sean McVay's wedding over the weekend:
"'You crashed my wedding, you re-sign with the Rams then, man,'" McVay said he told Beckham.
It wasn't the first time McVay has stumped for Beckham.
"I really want Odell back on our team," he said on The Rich Eisen Show (h/t Coral Smith of NFL.com) in May. "He's a guy that, in a short amount of time, we were able to develop a really special relationship. I thought he brought a great spark to our team. I thought he played really well. He's a great teammate. Without a doubt, want to get Odell back here."
Whether that happens remains to be seen, but it feels far more likely than a reunion between Beckham and the Browns.