Odell Beckham Jr.'s drama-filled tenure with the Cleveland Browns is nearing its end. The polarizing wide receiver was excused from practice for a second straight day Thursday, a decision that comes two days after Beckham's father posted a video on social media highlighting moments when Baker Mayfield failed to complete passes to his wide-open son.
While speaking to reporters on Thursday, Browns safety John Johnson III said the "majority of this locker room" would love to have Beckham in the building once again. But at this point, the situation seems unfixable, and the juice isn't worth the squeeze, according to former NFL head coach Brian Billick.
"Unfortunately, this type of thing never ends well for a team. They're going to have to separate themselves from Beckham," Billick told the Tiki and Tierney show on Thursday. "We see it all the time, players who make themselves so unpalatable for the team, that they have to do something. Kevin Stefanski has done a great job there. They've got confidence, they've got balance.
"To keep that malignancy around and that ill feeling around just wouldn't bode well. And you can say, 'OK, we'll kiss and make up,' and the locker room wants him back, and that's all well and good. I've never seen one of these things turn out well when the player stays. So, it's probably time for him to go."
Beckham, who's battled a shoulder injury this season, was a non-factor in the Browns' 15-10 home loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers last Sunday, as he caught one pass for six yards on one target. In six games, the three-time Pro Bowler has racked up just 17 receptions for 232 yards and no touchdowns, and ranks 139th in the league in receptions per route and 151st in receptions per target.
On Wednesday, head coach Kevin Stefanski reportedly told his players that Beckham won't be with the team for the remainder of this season. If they're compelled to part ways with Beckham during the offseason, it wouldn't hurt them financially. Although he's under contract through 2023, he carries no guaranteed money across the next two years, and releasing or trading him would save the Browns $15 million on their salary cap, per Spotrac.
Cleveland (4-4), which sits in fourth place in the AFC North, will visit the rival Cincinnati Bengals (5-3) on Sunday. According to FiveThirtyEight projections, the Browns currently have a 33-percent chance to reach the playoffs and just a 10-percent chance to win the division.
The entire conversation between Billick and Tiki and Tierney can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the Tiki and Tierney Show on Twitter @TikiAndTierney and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.