This week, the New York Giants will be able to say hello to their former star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. as they head to Cleveland for joint practices with the Browns. As it turns out, Beckham hasn't quite had the impact that Cleveland envisioned since the monumental deal, appearing in only 23 of 32 regular season games the past two years and averaging 58.9 yards per game with the Browns, as opposed to 92.8 with the Giants.
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In 2021, Audacy NFL insider Brian Baldinger thinks that's all about to change. He and fellow Audacy insider Jason La Canfora have seen a lot from OBJ this preseason and, combined with what he's previously been accomplished and his current relationship with Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, there's a lot to be excited for.
"One thing that struck me when I was there (at Browns camp): Odell Beckham Jr.," La Canfora said on the latest episode of Audacy's "Baldy's Breakdowns" podcast. "Obviously, he's only... now coming up on eight months removed from his latest surgery. They're not gonna expose him to much in team drills, but when I watched him in individual sessions, with Baker Mayfield and even when he's off to the side, he wasn't trying to catch one-handed, ridiculous sideline passes from a JUGS gun. He wasn't doing highlight reel stuff.
"He looked like somebody who was back to basics as a tactician — the footwork, no extra steps, the necessary things needed to succeed in this offense... To give that full buy-in to what Kevin Stefanski is asking of his receiver, I thik Odell's going to be a very effective, productive player for them this year."
Baldinger agreed with the thought, emphasizing that OBJ and Stefanski have a great relationship, with the coach thinking very highly of his prized receiver.
"There is a real relationship between Stefanski and Odell. I remember talking to guys in Cleveland last year, and Stefanski loved him," Baldinger explained. "He loved his talent, he loved his work ethic. The year before, he had a hernia surgery that he needed all year [that] he didn't get, he was never himself.
"I think for the first time, the Cleveland Browns are gonna see the best of Odell Beckham."
The best of Odell Beckham can be a scary thing. It can be a receiver who makes defenders dizzy with his route running skills and YAC capabilities, assets which led him to a league-high 108.8 yards per game in his rookie season. He's a threat for important, short-distance first downs, underneath routes to take to the house for a long score, or red zone targets with the game on the line. Heck, he's a threat to come down with the greatest catch the game has ever seen on any given throw.
Like La Canfora said, though, these jaw-dropping catches are of less importance than getting OBJ to play in the Browns' system as effectively as possible, and that focus is what will unlock the best that the star 28-year-old can deliver.
"I don't think this is about showcasing talent and being a highlight reel. I think this is about understanding his role in a really good offense, that's really well-built, and there's a place for him," Baldinger said. "He doesn't need to go out there and be front and center, just showboating. That's not what he's gonna be.
"He's gonna be a really solid player on a really good offense on a really good football team, and I think he understands his role. I think he's gonna be fine with all of that."
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