2021 Could Be Final Season For Odell Beckham With Browns?

According to Jeff Howe of the Athletic, 2021 could be the final season in Cleveland for Browns WR Odell Beckham. 

Sources familiar with the team’s thinking have suggested this to Howe. Beckham is under contract through 2023 but he has no more guarantees remaining on his deal after this year. 

The Browns and Beckham have struggled to make things work the past two seasons. Beckham tore his ACL last November and has had a lengthy rehab. He’s also struggled to build chemistry with QB Baker Mayfield and has four catches total in the last two games. 

Howe adds the teams he’s talked to haven’t heard that Cleveland is shopping Beckham ahead of the trade deadline on November 2 yet. He points out Beckham is due a significant amount this year that would make a trade difficult to work out and the Browns would rather continue to try and work things out the rest of this season. 

Beyond that, though, the future with Beckham and the Browns is cloudy. He’s set to count $15 million against the cap for Cleveland in 2022 and 2023. 

Beckham, 28, was taken with the No. 12 overall pick by the Giants back in 2014. He was set to make a base salary of $8,459,000 for the 2018 season when he agreed to a new five-year extension worth up to $95 million that includes $65 million in total guarantees.

The Giants traded Beckham to the Browns in 2019 for the No. 17 overall pick, their second third-round pick and S Jabrill Peppers.

Beckham stands to make base salaries of $14.5 million and $13.75 million over the next two years.

In 2021, Beckham has appeared in three games for the Browns and caught nine of 19 targets for 124 yards receiving and no touchdowns. He’s also rushed twice for 14 yards. 

We’ll have more on Beckham and the Browns as the news is available.