When the Cleveland Browns traded for Odell Beckham Jr. before the 2019 NFL season, it seemed like a match made in heaven.
Despite the Browns' abysmal record the year prior, they were equipped with a promising young quarterback in Baker Mayfield, and one of Beckham Jr.'s best friends, Jarvis Landry.
During his first season in Cleveland, OBJ hauled in 74 catches for 1,035 yards (according to Football Reference) and while he only scored four times, it seemed like things were sure to pick up as his chemistry with Mayfield and the rest of the Browns evolved. Unfortunately, halfway through the 2020 season, the star wideout tore his ACL and was sidelined for the remainder of the year.
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That brings us to the current NFL season.
Coming into 2021, it was known that Beckham Jr. would miss time, but after just a couple of games, #13 was back on the field. This time, however, it was clear something was wrong. Catching just 17 balls for 232 yards (according to Football Reference) in six games, Beckham's discontent with his role in the Browns' system became increasingly more obvious. And with the trade deadline approaching, it only made sense for Cleveland to try to move the 29-year-old.
But they couldn't. The November 2 trade deadline came and went, and Beckham Jr. was still on the Browns' roster.
However, after catching just one pass for six yards in the Browns 15-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers, it was clear his time in Cleveland was over, and after being sent home from practice two days in a row this week, the team has finally cut him loose.
According to NFL reporter Ian Rapoport, both parties came to the resolution that releasing Beckham was the best course of action, so that's what the Browns did. The team officially released him, sending him to the waivers, where other teams will have the opportunity to claim him.
While any move involving OBJ is naturally going to be big news, it'll be interesting to see where he ends up after this. During his stint in Cleveland, Beckham caught 114 passes for 1,586 yards and 7 touchdowns (according to Football Reference). Compared to his 2015 season in New York, when he caught 96 balls for for 1,450 yards and 13 touchdowns, his three-season tenure with the Browns looks pretty bleak.
Whether another team will claim him off the waiver wire, or wait to sign him after he clears waivers, it's almost certain he'll end up on another roster before the end of the season, but expectations for Beckham will be severely tempered.
What do you think of the Browns cutting OBJ halfway through the season? Let us know in the comments.
