Trade rumors involving Odell Beckham Jr. have been swirling since his first season with the Browns, and they’re picking up again, with the 2020 season having officially come to a close.
The possibility of the Browns shopping OBJ really isn’t surprising, either, as the team played better without him in 2020. Beckham missed more than half the season with an ACL injury he suffered in Week 7, yet the offense’s production improved when he wasn’t in the lineup. It allowed the Browns to run to setup the pass, and also gave receivers such as Rashard Higgins — who has great chemistry with quarterback Baker Mayfield — to get more snaps.
The Browns simply don’t need OBJ, and given that they gave up a first and third-round pick to acquire him, it would make more sense to trade him away, and receive some draft capital in return, while the team still can. What’s interesting, though, is that ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported on “Get Up” that OBJ and Tom Brady are interested in playing together.
The Bucs could have a void to fill at receiver if the team elects to let Chris Godwin test the free-agent market, and they are in “win-now” mode, with a chance to repeat as champions. But the Bucs may not want to leverage their future with a chance to win today, and Beckham also comes with red flags, as he’s been a bit of a distraction with both the Giants and Browns. The Bucs have a tight-knit locker room, and if they do bring back Antonio Brown, it’s hard to see him and OBJ coexisting. Crazier things have happened, though, so stay tuned.
