Will Odell Beckham Jr. play in the Cleveland Browns' Week 2 game against the Houston Texans?
Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. didn't see much action this preseason as he continued to rehab a torn ACL from last season. Last week, in preparation for the Week 1 matchup against the Kansas City Chiefs, Beckham Jr. seemed as if he was ready to start the season opener.
However, in pregame warmups this past Sunday, Beckham Jr. felt as if something wasn't right and told coaches that he couldn't make the start, putting his availability in question for Week 2 as well.
Odell Beckham Jr. expected to miss Week 2
Over the last few days, there has been speculation that Odell Beckham Jr. would be able to start the Browns' Week 2 matchup against the Houston Texans. Those expectations were dashed early in the week. On Wednesday afternoon, Cleveland Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told the media that Beckham Jr. will not play for the second consecutive week.
Browns’ HC Kevin Stefanski said today that WR Odell Beckham Jr will not play Sunday vs. Houston.
The Browns said last week that Beckham Jr. wasn't taking full reps throughout the week and that his pregame warmups would be a determining factor in whether he would play. In those pregame warmups, the 28-year-old WR didn't feel like he was ready to take the field.
Considering the Browns already know he won't play this weekend, it means Odell Beckham Jr.'s rehab process isn't progressing as quickly as he and the Browns had hoped.
Although the Cleveland Browns offense has a lot of talent and was close to defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in the Week 1 opener, it's still a major concern. The Browns acquired Beckham Jr. to add a spark to the offense and give quarterback Baker Mayfield a reliable target, and that is what he brings to the field, a wide receiver who can catch nearly anything thrown his way.
Odell Beckham Jr when targeted in the end zone during his career:
🔸 82 Targets
🔸 0 drops
The longest streak among active players 👀 https://t.co/TjowteIw03
Stefanski and the Browns apparently feel that if he can't play Week 1 against the Chiefs, then there really isn't a reason to start him against the Texans a week later. Giving Odell Beckham Jr. the time he needs to fully recover from a torn ACL will pay dividends for the Browns later in the season.
The Cleveland Browns will likely rebound from last week's loss to the Chiefs and be contenders down the road. Having a healthy wide receiver with the talent that he has when the games mean much more will be beneficial to the offense and the team as a whole. Expect the Browns to come out all guns blazing with OBJ on the field.