Odell Beckham Jr: New York Giants wide receiver joins Cleveland Browns

Last updated on .From the section American footballcomments44

Odell Beckham Jr has joined the Cleveland Browns in a surprise trade deal from the New York Giants.

The 26-year-old wide receiver has only ever played for the Giants, joining in 2014 and signing a five-year $95m (£72.5m) contract extension last year.

In return, the Giants get a first- and third-round pick in the 2019 NFL draft and Browns safety Jabrill Peppers.

The Browns won just seven of their 16 games last season having gone winless through the whole of the 2017 campaign,

But the deal for Beckham Jr has seen them emerge as one of the championship contenders in the coming season.

Beckham Jr, famous for his trademark one-handed catches, was rated the third best wide receiver in 2018 with 77 receptions for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns.

"I'm extremely excited about the opportunity to be a part of this organisation and the direction they are headed," Beckham Jr said.

"Browns fans deserve a winning football team. This is a fresh start for me and it's going to be great to join Baker [Mayfield, quarterback] and Jarvis [Landry, wide receiver] on this team."

Cleveland Browns tweet

"Rarely do you get chance to acquire a player of this magnitude," Browns general manager John Dorsey said.

"It's a reflection of the direction the organisation is headed.

"My hat's off to a lot of people in this organisation because we spent countless hours, weeks... We can go all the way back to December when we began the planning phases of these types of acquisitions.

"It shows you that ownership is committed to winning."

The annual player draft starts on Friday, 26 April.

League rules prohibited teams from announcing trades until 20:00 GMT on Wednesday but an official NFL Twitter posting showed a picture of Beckham Jr in a Cleveland shirt with the message: "Coming soon in Cleveland..."

The Browns confirmed the news on Wednesday evening after the deadline, adding "We got him. Welcome to Cleveland".

Beckham Jr has scored 44 touchdowns in 59 NFL appearances.

Odell Beckham Jr, Jarvis Landry and Baker Mayfield
The NFL tweeted this imagine of Odell Beckham Jr in Browns kit, alongside Jarvis Landry (left) and Baker Mayfield (right)

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44 comments

  • Comment posted by TheTrinity, at 21:12 13 Mar 2019

    One of THE most annoying things is seeing people on hys message boards saying why there is a hys message board (or comments on the surname Beckham). If you are not interested in American Football, well that's fine. You have no need to contribute. FYI Beckham is one of the biggest names in a sport where the super bowl attracted over 100 million. Not to shabby!

  • Comment posted by The Dukes of Eden Hazard, at 19:09 13 Mar 2019

    Re: 11

    So what topics are they allowed to report on, that "all British people care passionately about?" Not the Premier, obviously, as millions of British people don't care about it. Not politics either. Maybe food would be okay? Oh wait you said "British people" so no food then either.

    Maybe don't read articles you personally aren't interested in?

  • Comment posted by TheTrinity, at 17:45 13 Mar 2019

    With Antonio Brown leaving the Steelers, The Browns will be making a big move. Watch them take the AFC North in 2019

  • Comment posted by verjam, at 17:39 13 Mar 2019

    Having supported the Browns through many years of heartache and despair this is incredible news! Mayfield, Beckham, Hunt, Landry, Ward, Garrett - this team is going to rule the AFC for years to come and surely a Super Bowl will finally come. Only concern being the egos, keep them grounded and you can paint the town Brown.

  • Comment posted by Considered Opinion, at 21:28 13 Mar 2019

    Whilst not everyone enjoys NFL the BBC covers all major sports. With the NFL support growing massively year by year in the UK the BBC needs to actually expand its coverage on the website.

    Beckham Jr is a star of the sport however there are numerous trades that have not been covered in free agency.

    Giants in serious trouble now but on the flip side Browns should expect the playoffs.

  • Comment posted by Zzzzzzzzzz, at 19:05 13 Mar 2019

    @7

    Maybe do a little research first? He’s one of the biggest names in the game (and nothing to do with his namesake) and the news of his trade is huge news considering he only just signed a contract extension with the Giants a few months back.

  • Comment posted by verjam, at 18:33 13 Mar 2019

    Jaffabhoy -

    Just watch the video, he is singled out for coverage for his outstanding talent; nothing to do with his name. Like it or not, American football is hugely popular in the UK ( 4 sell out NFL games a year) and across the world.

  • Comment posted by JonnyQPR, at 19:57 13 Mar 2019

    @7

    Licence fee? That's for TV not online news stories. Not very clever are you.

  • Comment posted by Simon Tabony, at 22:03 13 Mar 2019

    Always glad to see wider coverage of "non-British" sports, it would be awesome if they could show some love to my adopted the sport, the NHL (ice hockey), and possibly try and bring the Elite league at least one or two steps out of the shadows.

  • Comment posted by nigel fowler, at 18:44 13 Mar 2019

    What a signing for the Browns! Serious play off contenders now I reckon, defensively suspect but who cares when you have Landry and OBJ out wide?

  • Comment posted by london fox, at 04:50 14 Mar 2019

    @6 lol shows you have no knowledge of the sport which makes me wonder why you are in even reading the article? He is one of the biggest names in the sport and one of the best wide receivers in the game. If one armed spectacular catches don’t do anything for you. Don’t watch or read. Simples

  • Comment posted by BlackbirdLeysSpurs, at 21:18 13 Mar 2019

    This sport is growing here and you lot better get used to it
    Rubbishing things you know nothing about is not a wise decision

  • Comment posted by The Wizard of Bog, at 17:53 13 Mar 2019

    This would be so much funnier if the Browns weren't so damn good now.

  • Comment posted by projexe, at 09:19 14 Mar 2019

    A Browns fan since the days of Kosar, Metcalf & Newsome. They were becoming real contenders again at the end of last season, and that was down to young talent & a real team ethic.

    Beckham is the big "I am". He has no team qualities. He will tear the team apart. Why would the Giants want rid so badly? We should have kept Peppers & our draft picks. Bad trade for me.

  • Comment posted by drabmuloc, at 10:20 14 Mar 2019

    David will be proud!

  • Comment posted by mbmiller, at 09:49 14 Mar 2019

    Amazing signing for the Browns, still think Foles to Jags is the best off season trade so far, but this is a very close second.

  • Comment posted by Andy, at 06:55 14 Mar 2019

    There is a place for NFL on the BBC ! Cannot wait for the new season to start
    Great coverage on BBC ! done a great job with NFL - Andy

  • Comment posted by turfmoor, at 05:05 14 Mar 2019

    18 Disagree about the Giants being in trouble. One man doesn’t make a team. Manning is not the best by any means but has two rings and is still capable. The oline will improve and they have a bigger and better star in saquan Barkley
    Draft and trades. ?? They must have a plan
    Mara family don’t like petulant stars. Watch this space

  • Comment posted by turfmoor, at 04:57 14 Mar 2019

    Good move for Cleveland They’ll be hoping he stays fit and no antics. One of the top receivers. Giants gonna run it more with Barkley ??
    Some rubbish on here about messi or someone playing football. Pffff I’ve no interest in that. More nfl please aunty.

  • Comment posted by JonnyQPR, at 17:39 13 Mar 2019

    Odd move for OBJ, not as odd as Bell or Brown, but odd nevertheless.

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