NFL Trade Rumors: Will the Browns trade Odell Beckham Jr. after this season?
In 2019, the Cleveland Browns traded for one of the NFL's young star athletes, Odell Beckham Jr. Baker Mayfield had come off of a promising rookie season the year before. The thought process was that the addition of Beckham would help ascend Mayfield to superstar status. In Beckham's two seasons there, he's yet to make the impact the Browns expected him to.
Beckham burst onto the scene in 2014 for 1,305 yards in just 12 games. Beckham's athleticism was his strongest trait. He used it to make contested catches and took one of the quickest first steps off the line of scrimmage. However, in two years with the Browns, he has just 1,354 yards. His play on the field begs the question: will the Browns trade Beckham after 2021?
Why the Browns could trade Beckham
Beckham's name was floated amid trade rumors during the 2020 season. The Browns ultimately decided to give him one last chance. The Browns, however, know teams across the league will line up to try and restore Beckham if he disappoints this season.
For the 2021 season, Beckham owns the Browns' biggest salary. If he stays on the team in 2022, he'd have their third biggest salary. Mayfield's fifth-year option keeps him with the Browns through 2022, but he's due for his first contract extension in 2023. Beckham will make $15 million over the next three years according to Spotrac.
Come 2023, the Browns will have decisions to make on Mayfield, three starting offensive linemen, and Denzel Ward. Beckham could be traded out of necessity, rather than him not playing well.
Why the Browns could keep Beckham
All of those contracts can wait to be dealt with until the end of the 2021 or 2022 seasons. Beckham is 28 and will turn 29 in the middle of the season. He still has a couple of years left in his physical prime to turn back the clock.
In 2019 when Beckham was healthy, he still had an abundance of bursts and speed. He still earned 1,000 yards, and that was during the year Mayfield made more mental errors. Beckham missed nine games in 2020 and was never truly healthy. He should receive a pass for that and have this be his year to prove what's left in the tank.
Beckham knows the expectations placed upon him this year. He's a competitor who has a legitimate shot at comeback player of the year. On top of that, this is the player who scored 35 touchdowns in his first three seasons. If that healthy version of Beckham shows up in 2021, the Browns will have a tough decision to make. The Browns have all the pieces to be one of the top-scoring offenses in the NFL.
Mainly, his play will determine if the Browns trade him after 2021 or not. They were willing to give him another chance after all his injuries a year ago. The Browns' decision on contract extensions will be another decider. 2023 will see 17 players up for an extension. It's possible they can keep him in 2022 and trade him after that.