Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield told reporters on Wednesday that he was stunned when Odell Beckham Jr.'s father recently criticized him on social media, with a viral video that has created drama between the team and polarizing receiver.
But Mayfield didn't take offense, or blame Beckham Sr. for wanting his son to succeed. He did, however, scoff at the notion that he's been deliberately not throwing to the three-time Pro Bowler, calling the statement "opinionated."
"I've got to commend Baker Mayfield for taking the high road," JR said during Thursday's edition of the JR SportBrief show. "Good on him for that. Baker Mayfield is well within his right -- if he decided to do so -- to just completely throw [Beckham's] dad under the bus. But you know what Baker would do? Exacerbate the situation. He'd make it worse. I've got to give him some credit.
"For all of the criticism Baker Mayfield has endured, even dating back to his time in college, he's the mature one in this situation. And Beckham continues to show that, even more so, he's about him, as he should be. But when it comes to the team construct, using Instagram, your dad, even LeBron James to go "Free OBJ," these are some of the most diva-ish moves ever."
Beckham, who's battled a shoulder injury this season, was irrelevant 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 29-year-old 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.
Head coach Kevin Stefanski reportedly told his players on Wednesday that Beckham won't be with the team for the remainder of this season. If they're compelled to move Beckham during the offseason, it certainly wouldn't hurt them financially. Although he's under contract through 2023, he doesn't carry any guaranteed money across the next two seasons. And releasing or trading him would save the Browns $15 million on their salary cap, per Spotrac.com.
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 32-percent chance to reach the playoffs and just a 10-percent chance to win the division.
JR's complete thoughts on the Beckham-Browns drama can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the JR SportBrief show on Twitter @JRSportBrief and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.