The Cleveland Browns are swinging for the fences, as the team has gone out and grabbed one of the best receivers in the NFL for standout quarterback Baker Mayfield. According to Mike Garofalo of NFL Network, Cleveland worked out a deal with the New York Giants that will send Odell Beckham Jr. to the AFC North.
BREAKING: The #Browns have traded for #Giants WR Odell Beckham, sources say. The deal is done. I am not joking.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 12, 2019
Shortly after this hit the Twitterverse, Garofalo’s report was confirmed by Adam Schefter of ESPN.
Odell Beckham Jr. traded to Cleveland, as @MikeGarafolo reported.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 12, 2019
Garofalo and Schefter also reported the parameters of the deal, one which will see the Giants get back a pair of draft picks — including the No. 17 overall selection in the upcoming NFL Draft — and third-year safety Jabrill Peppers.
Here are the trade terms: Giants recieve a first-round pick in 2019 (No. 17 overall), the Browns' second third-round pick this year and S Jabril Peppers, source tells ESPN. Browns get Odell Beckham Jr.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) March 13, 2019
#Browns first-round pick, their second third-rounder and Jabril Peppers to the #Giants, as @AdamSchefter said. Odell Beckham to the #Browns.
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 13, 2019
Cleveland had 10 picks in this draft, so while giving up a first and a third is a lot, the team still has a decent amount of draft capital heading into April’s festivities. Plus it’s not every day that a player of Beckham’s caliber hits the trade market, and when paired with Mayfield, promising running back Nick Chubb, and a receiving corps that includes Jarvis Landry and David Njoku, there’s reason to believe the Browns could end up having one of the NFL’s most explosive offenses next year.
Beckham agreed to a monster extension last season that will keep him under contract until the end of the 2023 season, and in even better news for Cleveland, the cap hit of bringing Beckham on board won’t too brutal.
#Giants will take on $16 million in dead money for Beckham. #Browns will get him at an average value of just $15.4M since the Giants paid a good chunk of the contract. https://t.co/8vMzPuDTzR
— Jason_OTC (@Jason_OTC) March 13, 2019
This is obviously a sign that the Giants want to rebuild around star running back Saquon Barkley and, potentially, a young quarterback — the team has been linked strongly to Ohio State signal caller Dwayne Haskins in the 2019 Draft. But for now, the big story here is the Browns swinging for the fences by acquiring a legitimate superstar receiver to take their offense to the next level.
