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Odell Beckham Jr. is not playing like the league’s highest paid wide receiver this season. How much of the onus you want to put on Baker Mayfield and Freddie Kitchens is perpetually debatable, but it won’t change the All Pro’s numbers through the halfway point of the season.
Beckham has just 39 catches for 575 yards and one touchdown through eight games. For comparison, 2015, his best season in the NFL, Odell caught 50 passes for 654 yards and 7 touchdowns through the same period. And keep in mind, the first half of his 2015 season was much less productive than the second, when Odell ripped off five straight 100+ yard games.
OBJ doesn’t appear to be happy about his lack of touches.
"I can’t get the ball to save my life” – Odell Beckham@obj had Chris Harris beat for a touchdown but Baker didn't even look for him, he threw to double coverage instead on 4th down at the end of the game.https://t.co/Jpj86cWgN4
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) November 4, 2019
Baker Mayfield was asked about why he isn’t force feeding Odell the ball so he can get the touches he deserves. Here is what the distraught quarterback had to say:
“I think people have this picture perfect thing where it was going to be sunshine and rainbows and he was going to have a whole lot of one on ones,” Mayfield said. “It is Odell Beckham. He is going to have double coverage and we have to find ways to format things to get him the ball and force-feed him early on to where he can make an impact before we can have the perfect look to have a shot play. That is something we have learned the hard way, but I think as the weeks have gone on, we are continuing to improve on how to get the ball to him.”
Odell’s response gave off strong “fuck it” vibes.
#Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. on Baker saying they need to format ways to get him involved: "I'm about whatever. Whatever you wanna do. I don't care if there's 5 guys on me. However I can help the team."
— Keith Britton (@KeithBritton86) November 7, 2019
When a high-profile athlete with diva tendencies says ‘whatever,’ it translates to: ‘If I don’t start getting what I want around here, I’m going to hold the franchise hostage until I do. Been around far too long to never take the laissez-faire response at face value.
Also, it doesn’t get any easier for the Browns, as they take on the 6-2 Buffalo Bills Sunday in a game that feels like ‘win’ or exterminate the franchise.