Should the Raiders trade for OBJ?
The Las Vegas Raiders have taken the NFL by surprise for their play on the field this year. They are on a 4-2 run, and Derek Carr is playing the best football of his eight-year career. But could the Raiders be interested in buying before the Nov. 2. 2021 trade deadline?
That's where Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. comes into play. Beckham is a very talented player who seems to be in an unwinnable situation. His time with the Browns has been spent being engulfed by trade rumors.
He may get moved by or at the trade deadline, but should the Raiders be the ones to make a move for him?
The Las Vegas Raiders should NOT trade for Odell Beckham Jr.
First things first, Beckham has not been as bad as the media has advertised. Granted, his numbers in the box score are incredibly down. He has just 16 catches on the season for a mere 226 yards and no touchdowns. Beckham also missed the first two weeks while recovering from his torn ACL.
#Browns target shares over weeks 1-7
O Beckham Jr - 16.6% (226yds)
K Hunt - 12.1% (161yds)
A Hooper - 11.1% (143yds,1td)
R Higgins - 10.6% (141yds,1td)
Beckham has caught only 48.5% of targets, averaging 45yds per game
#NFLTwitter #FantasyFootball #DawgPound
The reasons for Beckham's decline stem a lot from the system the Browns run and Baker Mayfield. The Browns have become a rush-oriented team and don't rely on Beckham to create major plays downfield in their offense. As a result, his yards per target are a career-low.
Mayfield has also, for one reason or another, struggled to find chemistry with Beckham. Mayfield's also playing with a torn labrum in his left shoulder. Beckham is still capable of producing, but he wouldn't be in a more favorable situation with the Raiders than he is now.
The Raiders don't need a wide receiver.
The main reason the Raiders shouldn't trade for Beckham is that they already have good pass-catching options. They're the only team in the NFL with four receivers over 300 yards if you include tight-end Darren Waller in that category.
@MichaelFFlorio you don’t get it? the #Raiders are the only team with 4 receivers over 300 yards.
there’s lots of mouths to feed, plus Jacobs is finally healthy. Carr’s building his chemistry with young WR’s, making Waller usage much less. That’s better for the Offense (worse for fantasy ig)
Henry Ruggs III does everything that Beckham can do, but for cheaper and more years. Ruggs is 22 years old and has 445 yards already. He's become an all-around dangerous number one wide receiver.
Surrounding him is Waller, who doesn't need to be as force-fed as last season. Hunter Renfrow and Bryan Edwards are also solid, young wide receivers who have taken their respective games to the next level.
Beckham is turning 29 in November and doesn't fit the Raiders timeline. Beckham would be an asset to almost any team other than the Browns. But the Raiders aren't one of those teams and should resist the urge to trade for Beckham as the Nov. 2. trade deadline is creeping closer.