Mike Florio delves deeper into what caused rift between Baker Mayfield and OBJ
While Baker Mayfield continues to await news on his NFL future, along with football fans everywhere, his rift with former Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. continues to come up as one reason the team was ready to move on. After Beckham left the team and joined the Los Angeles Rams, he was instrumental in their run to the Super Bowl.
Pro Football Talk podcast host Mike Florio expanded on the rift between Mayfield and Beckham as he discussed the quarterback’s place in the NFL.
"Cleveland is not big enough for both Baker Mayfield and Odell Beckham Jr. The nicer Odell Beckham is, the more everybody is gonna love him and not they’re not gonna love Baker and Baker’s gonna get resentful and maybe not throw it to him when he’s wide open. This’s normally the thing that made it fall apart.”
Mayfield has had clear issues with the leadership role handed to him in Cleveland. Unlike other quarterbacks around the NFL, he wears his emotions on his sleeve and takes to social media to express his feelings. Such was the case when the Browns made their play for Deshaun Watson.
The Atlanta Falcons went after the former Houston Texans quarterback as well, but rather than speaking to the media or hitting Twitter to express frustration with his team, Matt Ryan spoke with leadership directly and requested a trade. Now, he’s the latest signal caller for the Indianapolis Colts, a team Mayfield was hoping to join.
Mayfield's brash behavior may be part of why teams aren't interested in a trade
As with his anger toward the team, Mayfield, according to Florio, used his feelings toward Beckham to deprive the wide receiver of targets. If this indeed was the case, it’s really no wonder the rest of the league is hesitant to give Mayfield a chance.
As of right now, Mayfield is still a quarterback for the Cleveland Browns. However, one has to wonder how the conversation will go when Watson is suspended over his legal issues and the Browns inform Mayfield they need a starter.
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As for Beckham, he’s currently a free agent after his short run with the Rams and rehabbing from a knee injury suffered during the Super Bowl. Where he ends up next is anyone’s guess, though the wide receiver, no doubt, has many good years left in the NFL.