Cleveland Browns: 3 Moves That Must Be Made Before Next Season

The Cleveland Browns need to move Odell Beckham Jr.

This storyline has been worn out to no end, but it’s becoming painfully clear that Odell Beckham Jr. just isn’t the right fit for the Cleveland Browns. With absence of Jarvis Landry, Beckham had a chance to prove that he could step up in Cleveland. Instead, it was Rashard Higgins, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Demetric Felton that made up the difference.

Now, it seems like Baker Mayfield’s chemistry is better with those three receivers than it is with Beckham, but the issues go beyond the chemistry. Beckham, who has been credited with some of the strongest hands in the NFL, has failed to haul in passes. This season, Beckham has been targeted 33 times and has caught just 16, fewer than half.

Not all of those can be attributed to Beckham’s fault, but a sub-50% catch rate for any receiver is horrendous. Not to mention that Beckham doesn’t seem to have an interest on the field, appearing to be lacking motivation or his normal energy.

The downside here is that moving Beckham could burn a bridge for Cleveland with Landry. However, given Baker’s chemistry with Higgins, Peoples-Jones and Felton and the added potential of Anthony Schwartz, it might be worth the move.

Moving Beckham would free up more time on the field for the wide receivers in Cleveland that have been making plays while also freeing up the salary cap a bit down the road. The Browns could even explore a one-for-one swap by looking for a defensive tackle in return for Beckham. That would check two things off this list and help the team in about every way possible.