Cleveland Browns

The Cleveland Browns don't plan to trade wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. prior to Tuesday's 4 p.m. ET deadline, according to ESPN's Dianna Russini.

"I was told there haven't been any offers that would make sense for the organization," Russini reported.

Kimberley A. Martin of ESPN reported later Tuesday that the Saints showed interest in Beckham prior to the deadline passing:

I’m told there were discussions re: Odell going to the #Saints — but both sides couldn’t agree on a workable deal, given how much OBJ is owed the rest of the year.

Plus, there still is optimism in the #Browns building that OBJ can be a big part of their second-half playoff push

— Kimberley A. Martin (@ByKimberleyA) November 2, 2021

Beckham is on pace to have the worst full season in his career. He has caught 17 passes for 232 yards and zero touchdowns through six games.

Beckham's father, Odell Sr., posted a video on Instagram that effectively blamed Baker Mayfield for the three-time Pro Bowler's lack of production.

The father of #Browns Odell Beckham Jr. posted an 11 minute video on Instagram today. The video showed multiple times that QB Baker Mayfield missed Odell Beckham Jr. Was also active in comments. pic.twitter.com/oFbJl4ExA9

— Brad Stainbrook (@StainbrookNFL) November 2, 2021

While Beckham himself isn't lobbing the criticism this time around, the situation doesn't look all too dissimilar from the series of events preceding his trade from the New York Giants.

In the event the 28-year-old is looking for the exit door, he may have to wait until the offseason to get his wish.

When the Giants traded away Beckham ahead of the 2019 season, he was one of the NFL's most electric receivers. His peers ranked him as the 23rd-best player in NFL Network's annual Top 100 special.

Since then, Beckham's value has diminished. He's averaging 3.9 receptions and 54.7 yards per game with the Browns, down from 6.6 and 92.8, respectively, during his time in New York. Among the 88 players with at least 100 receptions since 2019, he's also second-to-last in catch percentage (54.3), per Stathead.

Beckham has picked up a number of injuries over his career as well, most notably a torn ACL last season, and he's playing through a shoulder problem.

One can envision the 5'11" wideout enjoying a Randy Moss-like resurgence in different surroundings. Moss looked like a shell of his old self with the Oakland Raiders and was immediately an All-Pro again with the New England Patriots.

But between Beckham's performance and the outstanding balance on his $15.8 million salary cap hit, the Browns have little to no leverage in trade negotiations.

I'm not sure there's a single NFL team that would even give up a seventh-round draft pick for Odell Beckham right now unless he was willing to take a pay cut or the Browns were willing to pay some of his remaining 2021 salary.

— Michael David Smith (@MichaelDavSmith) November 2, 2021

OBJ's remaining non-guaranteed years are not a value and only add risk if he gets injured again

— Kevin Cole (@KevinCole___) November 2, 2021

If Cleveland was in rebuilding mode, then offloading Beckham for whatever it could get might make sense. He doesn't have any guaranteed money remaining on his five-year, $90 million deal, so the team could release him in 2022 and 2023 and lose nothing financially.

As the Browns (4-4) look to at least climb back in the wild-card race, though, their only real option is to hold onto OBJ and hope things improve in the second half.

The father of Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. shared a video on his Instagram page Tuesday, which shows OBJ getting open but not being thrown the ball numerous times this season.

Brad Stainbrook of CBS Sports tweeted a screenshot of the video, as well as Odell Beckham Sr. agreeing with a comment about quarterback Baker Mayfield being unable or unwilling to throw the ball to OBJ:

The father of #Browns Odell Beckham Jr. posted an 11 minute video on Instagram today. The video showed multiple times that QB Baker Mayfield missed Odell Beckham Jr. Was also active in comments. pic.twitter.com/oFbJl4ExA9

— Brad Stainbrook (@StainbrookNFL) November 2, 2021

The Browns lost 15-10 to the rival Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, and they are off to a disappointing 4-4 start after many pundits considered them a Super Bowl contender entering the season.

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Cleveland acquired Beckham from the New York Giants in a blockbuster trade prior to the 2019 season, but the three-time Pro Bowler's tenure with the Browns hasn't gone as well as hoped.

Beckham managed 1,035 yards on 74 receptions in 2019, but he scored only four touchdowns and didn't consistently make the explosive plays that became his hallmark in five years with the Giants.

Last season, Beckham was limited to just seven games because of a torn ACL, but he didn't play at a particularly high level when healthy either, finishing with 23 grabs for 319 yards and three scores.

The start of Beckham's 2021 season was delayed as he recovered from the torn ACL. He missed the first two games before playing in Week 3 before appearing in every game since.

In those six games, OBJ has just 17 catches for 232 yards and has yet to find the end zone.

Beckham has not finished with more than five receptions or 79 yards in a game this season, and he is coming off his worst game, as he was targeted only once and had one reception for six yards in Sunday's loss to Pittsburgh.

Cleveland's aerial attack as a whole has been lacking this season, as the Browns' 221.4 passing yards per game ranks 26th in the NFL.

Mayfield is struggling individually as well with 1,699 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions in seven games. He also has a QBR of just 42.2, which is 27th among qualifying players.

While the Cleveland offense is out of sync, Beckham is signed through 2023 and the Browns have already picked up the fifth-year option in Mayfield's contract for 2022, meaning the parties involved likely have no choice other than to get on the same page.

On paper, the Cleveland Browns entered this season as one of the most talented teams in the NFL. Following their first playoff campaign in nearly two decades, we had every reason to believe Cleveland could contend for a championship for the first time this century. 

It isn't happening. 

Following a dispirited and discouraging 15-10 Week 8 loss to the division-rivals Pittsburgh Steelers, the Browns are officially the last-place team in the AFC North. At 4-4, they're only one defeat short of last year's loss total. They've scored just three more points than they've allowed, and they've fallen to 0-3 against teams that currently possess winning records. 

But beyond the numbers, the Browns don't look or feel like a particularly good team. A home dud in a critical game on extra rest Sunday confirmed it: They don't have what it takes to be a true contender right now. And that won't likely change until the front office can make significant adjustments. 

The jury's still very much out on quarterback Baker Mayfield, who wasn't the problem in Sunday's loss but has not indicated he can carry the offense on his back. Elite quarterbacks—those worthy of lucrative second contracts—succeed more often than not even when their supporting casts let them down. On Sunday, Mayfield couldn't overcome severe reliability issues within the receiving corps, and that's a concern with his $18.9 million option year looming in 2022. 

I won't fault the Browns for giving Mayfield more time, but it would be foolish to do so without revamping his receiving corps. Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry again failed to haul in several potentially critical (and catchable) passes in Sunday's loss. Beckham caught just a single six-yard pass while Landry had merely five receptions on 10 targets. 

Both are shells of their former selves, and expensive ones at that.

Fumble.
Drop.
Gator-arms a pass.
False start.
Doesn't secure catch on fourth down.

These were the Browns' wide receivers with the game on the line.

It's not the QB. Mayfield has played well considering the circumstances.

— Brent Sobleski (@brentsobleski) October 31, 2021

The Browns need to move on from both, as soon as possible. General manager Andrew Berry should make both available ahead of Tuesday's trade deadline, and he shouldn't drive a hard bargain. He can save himself more than $30 million in 2022 salary-cap space by moving both. Because both have often done more harm than good, the goal should simply be to save that cash for a run at one or several high-quality targets next offseason. 

Biting that bullet would hurt because Cleveland's season is far from over despite the poor first half. And sure, if they can land a game-changing replacement for Landry or Beckham this week, they oughta pull the trigger and go all-in on the second half of the season. Doing that would also enable them to better gauge Mayfield's progress in his fourth season. 

But even if they can't land an established standout receiver like Allen Robinson or Will Fuller at the deadline, Beckham and Landry have to go. The alternative will leave them in football purgatory as a middle-of-the-pack non-contender, and there's nothing satisfying about that now that they've had a sniff of playoff success. 

Jarvis Landry’s late drops and fumble will overshadow just how much of a total non-factor Odell Beckham has become in the #Browns passing game. 1 catch today, 6 yards.

— Jake Trotter (@Jake_Trotter) October 31, 2021

They're better off throwing in the towel on 2021, especially because that'd bolster their draft capital and give them more time to focus on chasing replacements for Beckham and Landry in the spring, when Robinson is slated to hit free agency alongside All-Pro Davante Adams and former Pro Bowlers Chris Godwin and Courtland Sutton. 

So rip off the Band-Aid now. Throw Mayfield to the wolves and see how he responds. A temporarily diminished receiving corps could help him grow in the long run, and his offensive line is strong enough that you wouldn't be putting him in significantly more danger by forcing him to rely more heavily on Rashard Higgins, David Njoku and Austin Hooper in the final nine games of the season. 

I'm not suggesting the Browns have to blow it all up. Their long, intense rebuild looks rather successful, but it's important to remain flexible with what the final product of that rebuild looks like. Running back Nick Chubb is a star, the line is tremendous and the retooled defense is becoming an asset. Head coach Kevin Stefanski is a superb play-caller, and this regime has done a lot of things right.

Mayfield is a product of the previous regime, and it's still unclear if he's the long-term answer, but he was remarkably consistent and reliable without Beckham down the stretch in 2020. The Browns would be foolish to bail on him right now, but they need to give him something new and different to work with. 

And they shouldn't wait to make that happen.

     

Brad Gagnon has covered the NFL for Bleacher Report since 2012. Follow him on Twitter: @Brad_Gagnon.

Baker Mayfield returned from his shoulder injury but couldn't lead his team to victory as the Pittsburgh Steelers earned a 15-10 win over the Cleveland Browns.

The quarterback was medically cleared to return after missing one game with a torn left labrum and shoulder fracture. He still couldn't generate much offense in Sunday's Week 8 loss at FirstEnergy Stadium as the Browns were held to a season low in points scored.

Pittsburgh also struggled offensively in a game that was just 3-3 at halftime. The team also lost kicker Chris Boswell to injury in the first half.

It forced the Steelers to keep the offense on the field for what became the game-winning touchdown catch by Pat Freiermuth on a fourth-down play:

WHAT A CATCH. @pat_fry5 #HereWeGo

📺: #PITvsCLE on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/tfJ3YYEvuq

— NFL (@NFL) October 31, 2021

Ben Roethlisberger added 266 passing yards in the win as Pittsburgh (4-3) won its third straight game around the Week 7 bye. The veteran now has a 25-2-1 career record in the regular season against Cleveland.

The Browns (4-4) fell to last place in the competitive AFC North.

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Notable Performances

Ben Roethlisberger, QB, PIT: 22-34, 266 passing yards, 1 TD

Najee Harris, RB, PIT: 26 carries, 91 rushing yards, 1 TD

Diontae Johnson, WR, PIT: 6 catches, 98 receiving yards

Baker Mayfield, QB, CLE: 20-31, 225 passing yards

Nick Chubb, RB, CLE: 16 carries, 61 rushing yards

Jarvis Landry, WR, CLE: 5 catches, 65 receiving yards

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Steelers Get Aggressive After Kicker Injury

A controversial decision by Mike Tomlin in the first half dictated much of the second half for Pittsburgh.

With the game tied at 3-3 late in the second quarter, the Steelers tried a fake field goal that went horribly wrong:

Steelers trick. 🎃
Browns treat. 🍬
Fake Field Goal stopped by #Browns and we go to half tied at 3. #PITvsCLE pic.twitter.com/XjW24lzxQ4

— FanDuel Sports Network Cleveland (@FanDuelSN_CLE) October 31, 2021

That was about as poorly as a fake field goal can go for the Steelers. Chris Boswell throws incomplete and takes a big hit that appears to have left him injured.

— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) October 31, 2021

Boswell did not return after being evaluated for a concussion.

It put pressure on the Steelers to get into the end zone when they got close, and they came through with big plays.

Najee Harris showcased his athleticism with a touchdown in the third quarter:

Najee Harris up the middle! @ohthatsNajee22 #HereWeGo

📺: #PITvsCLE on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/Lf8KxDqXSJ

— NFL (@NFL) October 31, 2021

Najee Harris clearly has a Superman costume on under his uniform with that dive into the end zone for the TD

— Jenna Harner (@JennaHarner11) October 31, 2021

On the next possession, Freiermuth came through with an excellent catch on fourth down:

There’s so much that says Pat Freiermuth is going to become one of the best tight ends in football for a long time.

— Mike J. Asti (@MikeAsti11) October 31, 2021

The Steelers were unable to make either two-point conversion to keep the game close, but the team did enough to come through for a victory.

With the way Pittsburgh can play defensively, coming through with a few key plays on offense should be enough for this team to beat almost anyone.

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Browns Offense Stymied by Steelers Pressure

The Browns were happy to get their starting quarterback back on the field, but it was still a quiet showing for the offense.

Mayfield was under pressure all game long with T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward dominant at times from the edge:

.@CamHeyward and @_TJWatt already causing problems 💪

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/jOmTvOtkcm

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 31, 2021

A QB's worst nightmare @_TJWatt | 📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/oEtSy28WMd

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 31, 2021

The Steelers finished with four sacks and six quarterback hits in the game.

Cleveland also didn't find its usual success on the ground, with the Steelers also coming up with stops in big moments:

BIG stop by the #Steelers defense on a wide run by Nick Chubb. Absolutely no idea why the #Browns would challenge this defensive line right at Heyward, but they paid the price.

— Neal Coolong (@NealCoolong) October 31, 2021

It kept the Browns to just three points in the first half.

Cleveland finally got some movement in the second half, with D'Ernest Johnson punching in the first touchdown of the game:

D'Ernest Johnson cuts it back for 6️⃣! #Browns

📺: #PITvsCLE on CBS
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/Yaf3smiU8L

— NFL (@NFL) October 31, 2021

Nick Chubb was still mostly held in check, finishing with a season-low 61 rushing yards.

A fumble by Jarvis Landry then hurt his team's chance to take the lead late:

OUR BALL!!!

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/kOHEArKKvw

— Pittsburgh Steelers (@steelers) October 31, 2021

Landry also couldn't come up with the catch on fourth down on the next possession.

The Browns must be much more efficient offensively if they want to compete with the AFC's best.

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What's Next?

The Browns will have another key divisional battle next week when they travel to face the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 9. The Steelers will host the Chicago Bears on Monday Night Football.

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield is reportedly expected to start Sunday against the Pittsburgh Steelers after receiving medical clearance, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.

Rapoport reported on Oct. 7 that the 26-year-old suffered a partially torn left labrum in Cleveland's 31-21 Week 2 victory over the Houston Texans.

Mayfield continued playing through the shoulder injury for four more games. But he was unable to go for the Browns in Week 7 against the Denver Broncos, which saw Case Keenum help them to a 17-14 win.

Rapoport now reports Mayfield has "full range of motion in his shoulder" and improved strength.

Before last week's game, Rapoport said the signal-caller would likely need surgery to repair his left shoulder in the offseason. The player subsequently told Fox Sports' Jay Glazer he was dealing with a fracture to his humerus bone, which was prolonging his period on the shelf.

CBSSports.com's Jason La Canfora provided an update on the situation on Oct. 24 and reported that doctors were wary of clearing Mayfield until he can "adequately protect himself" on the field.

Keenum went 21-of-33 for 199 yards and one touchdown in the game against the Broncos. D'Ernest Johnson's 146-yard outing was an even bigger surprise with Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt both unavailable.

With Mayfield set to return, the Browns offense could stay on track as the team looks to improve upon its 4-3 record. 

After sitting out last week's win over the Denver Broncos, Baker Mayfield is leaving the door open to returning Sunday.

The Cleveland Browns quarterback told reporters it was "absolutely" possible he could play against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Earlier this week, Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported Mayfield won't be cleared to play by Browns doctors if they don't feel he can "adequately protect himself" from further injuries. 

Baker Mayfield’s shoulder injury remains a week-to-week discussion for the Cleveland Browns and their QB, per source. Shutting down Mayfield for the season is not a prevailing theme as they prepare for Steelers. More about whether they can get swelling to subside before Sunday.

— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) October 27, 2021

Mayfield's left shoulder has suffered multiple injuries this season. The Browns signal-caller told Jay Glazer of Fox Sports last week that he fractured his humerus bone in Week 6 against the Arizona Cardinals when he dislocated his shoulder.

That came after a torn labrum suffered from a hit in Week 2 against the Houston Texans. 

Mayfield told Glazer the fracture is "preventing his rotator cuff from firing."

"Only I know how my body feels, and if anyone questions whether I'm hindering the team in going out there injured, that's just not right. So it's my decision," Mayfield told reporters prior to practice last week. "I get to say whether I'm able to play or not, and that's just how it is."

Per Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com, Mayfield would need four to six months of recovery if he underwent surgery on his labrum. That time frame doesn't include damage from his fractured humerus that might need to be repaired as well.

Mayfield hasn't indicated if he will have surgery, but NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported last week he is expected to require it during the offseason.

Since the Browns were playing on a short week before last Thursday's game against the Broncos, Case Keenum got the starting nod. He completed 21 of 33 passes for 199 yards and one touchdown in the 17-14 victory.

The Browns (4-3) trail the Cincinnati Bengals and Baltimore Ravens by one game for the top spot in the AFC North. They host the Steelers on Sunday before traveling to Paul Brown Stadium for a matchup with the Bengals on Nov. 7. 

Mayfield has a 67.1 completion percentage with 1,474 yards, six touchdowns and three interceptions in six starts this season.    

Cleveland Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield has been dealing with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder throughout the 2021 NFL season and will not return to the lineup until doctors feel he can protect himself.

Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports reported the Browns could be without Mayfield for the "foreseeable future."

The Browns opted to keep Mayfield sidelined for Week 7 because of a short week following their Week 6 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The 26-year-old had made 51 consecutive starts for the Browns before missing the Oct. 21 matchup against the Broncos, which the Browns won 17-14 behind 199 yards and a touchdown from Case Keenum.

Mayfield previously told Jay Glazer of Fox Sports he was hoping to return for Cleveland's Week 8 matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Mayfield's injury issues began in Week 2 when he dislocated his left shoulder while trying to make a tackle on an interception return against the Houston Texans. He then landed on the shoulder in Week 6 and reaggravated the injury.

Glazer has since reported that he suffered a torn labrum and fractured his humerus in his non-throwing shoulder.

The 2018 first overall pick is expected to undergo offseason shoulder surgery, per Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The Browns believe he can play through the ailment for the remainder of the season with proper management.

Despite the injury, Mayfield has been pretty solid this season. He has completed a career-high 67.1 percent of his passes for 1,474 yards and six touchdowns against three interceptions in six games in addition to rushing for 75 yards and a score for the run-heavy Browns offense.