Browns Rumors: Odell Beckham Jr. to Participate in 1st OTA Practice Since Trade

Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will participate in the Cleveland Browns' first OTA practice Tuesday, according to ESPN's Chris Mortensen.

It will mark OBJ's first football-related activity with the Browns since they acquired him from the New York Giants in March for safety Jabrill Peppers, a first-round pick and a third-round pick.

Beckham skipped some of the Giants' OTAs last offseason, but he will be present Tuesday to get acclimated to his new surroundings and teammates.

Mortensen noted it isn't known if Beckham will participate in all 10 of the Browns' OTA practices over the next three weeks.

It was expected that Beckham would be in attendance Tuesday after he was seen in the background of teammate Antonio Callaway's live Instagram story from the Browns' locker room Monday, per Cleveland.com's Mary Kay Cabot.

Beckham skipped the Browns' voluntary minicamp that was held one week before the 2019 NFL draft, but head coach Freddie Kitchens wasn't upset by the decision, according to Cabot:

"There's no problem with Odell not being here. I'd rather him be here. He's not here. It's voluntary. That's what the word voluntary means. He can decide to come or he can't.

"But under no circumstance am I going to say that I'm pissed off at Odell for not being here. He'll be ready to play and ultimately that's the only thing I want, for him to be ready to play when we start kicking off in September and he will be—I promise you."

Due primarily to Beckham's arrival and quarterback Baker Mayfield's play as a rookie last season, there is more hype surrounding the Browns entering 2019 than there has been in years.

Although Cleveland hasn't reached the playoffs since 2002 and is just two seasons removed from a winless campaign, it is a trendy pick to reach the playoffs and make a deep run.

According to Bovada, the Browns are favored to win the AFC North at +140 (7-5), they are the third choice to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl at +600 (6-1) and they are tied for the fifth choice to win the Super Bowl at +1,200 (12-1).

Beckham was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three NFL seasons, but he has been plagued by injuries the past two years.

After playing just four games in 2017, OBJ missed four games last season. Even so, he finished with solid numbers in the form of 77 receptions for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns as part of a Giants offense led by running back Saquon Barkley.

Mayfield, Beckham and the passing attack figure to lead the way in Cleveland, and that could make the Browns one of the NFL's most exciting teams in 2019.