A new report has shed further light on the apparently confusing relationship between Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
The former Giants standout was supposed to become Mayfield's go-to target when he was acquired via trade in March 2019, and though they hooked up plenty during his two-plus seasons in Cleveland, they never quite seemed to be on the same page, at least not in the way that was anticipated.
But, according to a report, Mayfield and Beckham actually had a pretty strong relationship, and Beckham was widely liked within the Browns locker room.
All of which made it all the more "shocking" to Mayfield, according to Jake Trotter of ESPN, when Beckham's father appeared to blast him in the now- infamous social media post which ultimately hastened OBJ's exit from Cleveland.
Mayfield and Beckham seem to have hung out fairly often, playing video games with fellow teammates and even vacationing together. Beckham also attended Mayfield's wedding in 2019.
Per Trotter:
"The craziest part of this whole situation is that they're friends," said one source close to Mayfield. "Maybe it wasn't perfect. But it was never strained."
Mayfield admitted to being blindsided by the video, since he considered his relationship with Beckham to be solid.
But despite their apparent rapport off the field, the QB and his former wideout struggled to forge a winning one on it.
To most Browns fans and football observers, it seemed Mayfield was more in sync with his other receivers, including star slot man Jarvis Landry, Beckham's former college teammate.
And, according to Trotter, the stats bear it out. The Mayfield-to-Beckham connection wasn't particularly efficient:
Over their time together, Mayfield underthrew or overthrew Beckham on 27% of his attempts, according to ESPN Stats & Information, the third-highest rate of any quarterback-receiving duo in the league.
Mayfield has been far better throwing the ball to literally anyone else. His QBR targeting Beckham over the past three seasons is 58 (scale 0-to-100). But to every other Browns wide receiver, it is a combined 85.2.
Not only were they ineffective, but their dynamic also apparently became counterproductive for Mayfield, a source told Trotter.
"Odell is in his head, and [Mayfield] is pressing every time [Beckham] is around," one former Browns team source said. "Odell throws him off . ... and it gets all f---ed up from there because Baker becomes indecisive."
We likely haven't heard the last chapter in this drama, but for now it seems all parties may be better served with the ongoing parting of ways.
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram