Will Odell Beckham Jr. be a good fit for the Buccaneers? NFL analyst has his say
Odell Beckham Jr. was not traded from the Cleveland Browns earlier this week before the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, but his time with the team is over. OBJ was excused from practice this week and the two sides should end up in divorce shortly.
OBJ and the Browns have quite a shaky relationship, with LeBron James and Beckham's father speaking out to "free" the wide receiver from Baker Mayfield and Cleveland.
Odell Beckham Jr’s father posted an 11 minute video of Baker Mayfield missing him when he’s wide open on IG, and other Browns receivers liked it.
The Cleveland Browns are still where they’ve always been, searching for a franchise QB.
The Browns cannot trade him this season after the deadline ended on Tuesday. They could suspend him for violating team rules and conduct, but there is no evidence behind it and it would just be a long, unnecessary process. Odell Beckham will likely not be willing to sit out the season with pay, either.
The last resort is to simply cut him, which could be what Odell Beckham Jr. wants. It will be the first time that OBJ is a free agent in the NFL. He can pick where he goes and what he's paid. The question remains on where he will go.
Targets to star wide receivers in Kevin Stefanski’s offense:
Odell Beckham 📉 32%.
Stefon Diggs 📉 by 38%
Adam Thielen 📉 by 58%
OBJ’s lack of production is on the Head coach, not Baker Mayfield. #Browns
https://t.co/dq3QeAsAm4
Mike Florio of ProFootball Talk anticipated a possible signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Florio stated that the New England Patriots were interested in Odell Beckham Jr. before he went to the Browns. Tom Brady had an interest in playing with him and OBJ was highly inspired to play with Brady. He will surely still want to play with Brady, especially after Tampa Bay's Super Bowl victory. However, Florio came up with a path that resulted in Odell Beckham Jr. ending up on the practice squad.
"Practice squad, not on the roster. No room at the inn currently, but on the practice squad initially. And once they see what he can do with Tommy at practice, then maybe. Maybe Tyler Johnson ends up on IR. Antonio Brown ends up on IR. Somebody else ends up on IR to create a spot for [Odell Beckham] for the rest of the season." - Mike Florio
It's an interesting take that would give the Buccaneers great depth for a deep playoff run this season. But Florio's co-host Chris Simms fired back with his own take on OBJ not being happy with his role in Tampa Bay.
"I don't see that one happening, I don't. We know he loves Brady, I know that. But he is at the point in his career where he can't go somewhere and be third fiddle again... This is big, this is his legacy, this is business... This is a guy that is Hall of fame, 1st-ballot type of talent, who hasn't got to do anything in three years... If i was gonna talk to him... don't go there. I know it's an awesome place... [but] you're gonna have weeks where you're gonna go like, I only got one ball." - Chris Simms
.@JeffDarlington says keep an eye out for OBJ to Tampa Bay should he get released 👀
"I have never heard of another QB that Odell Beckham Jr. respects, and has aspired to play with, [more] than Tom Brady." https://t.co/QZcyGaoc3R
Mike Florio isn't the only NFL analyst behind the idea of Odell Beckham Jr. going to Tampa Bay. ESPN's Jeff Darlington also brought up the fact that OBJ and Brady have "long aspired to play alongside one another." Antonio Brown has a foot injury and OBJ could find plenty of playing time down the stretch as a fresh receiver on the field. He will have to be willing to take much less money, but he has his best shot at a Super Bowl this year with Brady as his quarterback.
The New England Patriots are still a team who may want to acquire Odell Beckham Jr. Mac Jones is maturing well in the league, but needs additional receivers to throw to. In addition, the San Francisco 49ers need another receiver to pair with Deebo Samuel and the Las Vegas Raiders are down a receiver with Henry Ruggs' recent incident.
It will be interesting to see where Odell Beckham Jr. goes next in his career, but first, the Browns have to let him go.