by At 7:56 PM on Tuesday the NFL got turned upside down. A simple tweet by Mike Garafolo sent Browns fans across the world into bedlam.
“Breaking: The #Browns have traded for #Giants WR Odell Beckham, sources say. The deal is done. I am not joking.” (Side note: I also find it hilarious he had to put I am not joking in the tweet.)
Then when the new league year came around at 4 PM on Wednesday the deal was done. OBJ for 17th pick, 96th pick, and safety Jabrill Peppers. Now with what it seems with talent flowing on the Browns especially on offense they are primed to take the AFC North.
The Bengals should be hot trash so we do not even have to worry about them. The Ravens let several key defensive players go but also signed Mark Ingram and Earl Thomas III. Them along with Pittsburgh will be a very formidable opponent in the AFC North.
Yes, the Steelers lost Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell, but Juju Smith-Schuster and James Conner is still a good combo to have. A lot of people have given the Browns the North, but I am just not there yet as their defense still needs some work.
But enough rambling ODELL BECKHAM JR IS A BROWN! He has longed been one of my favorite players in the NFL and now he is on my favorite team which still seems surreal. He plays the game with passion and heart and alongside Baker and Jarvis the 2019 Browns offense will be one of the best in the league.
In five seasons OBJ has racked up 390 catches for 5,476 yards. His best overall season was 2016 where he played in every game (only time in his career) and had 101 catches for 1,367 yards. Originally drafted in the first round by the Giants in 2014 he was the 12th pick in the draft.
Coming out if college he was one of those prospects where you could line him up anywhere and he could make a play. Whether you lined him up in the slot and told him to run a slant or put him outside and had him just a run a streak there’s a high chance he will come down with the catch.
For the Browns OBJ is exactly what we needed. I love Landry, but he is not a number one receiver in the NFL. Letting Landry be the number two while OBJ is in charge will bring a whole other dimension to this offense.
Freddie Kitchens and the offensive staff with certainly have their hands full spreading out the touches. Having Odell on the outside with Landy and Higgins filling the other spots will be a handful for any defense. Oh? You want to do a four receiver look there’s speedy Antonio Callaway looking to take the top off the defense.
I seriously do not know how this offense will ever get stopped in the RedZone. With Chubb and Hunt in the backfield and Njoku and newly acquired Demetrius Harris who is 6’7! The RedZone will be damn near a touchdown every time.
It was last year at the tail end when the Browns converted at a very high rate and Mayfield did not turn the ball over one time in the RedZone all season long!
For the Browns Odell has the potential to be the best wide receiver in the team’s history? I do not think that is farfetched to say at all. We have a 26-year-old phenom receiver just starting his prime. The only concern I have is that he has only played 16 games in the past two seasons combined, but when he is healthy, he is arguably one of the best receivers in the game.
What was your initial reaction when you heard the news, we got Odell, and do you think we will win the division this year? Let me know! Comment below or tweet at me!
-Frankie Lipold
Twitter: @Lipold_27 & @MfflP
