Rumors have been swirling for weeks about whether or not the New York Giants will trade superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Multiple teams have been rumored to have interest in New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., and why not? He’s one of, if not the most dynamic wideout in the NFL.
One of the teams thought to be a potential trade partner, the Los Angeles Rams, are no longer in the market for a big-play wide receiver, having acquired Brandin Cooks from the New England Patriots for the 23rd overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Rams acquiring Brandin Cooks means LA is out on Odell Beckham Jr., and the Giants will need another trade partner to make a deal for the mercurial WR.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 3, 2018
With the Rams no longer having a first-round pick in this year’s draft to offer the Giants, they’re out of the Beckham sweepstakes.
So with the Rams out, the Cleveland Browns now emerge as the favorites to be the Giants trade partner if they are going to trade Beckham prior to the draft.
Here’s why.
They have the most to offer
The Browns have the first-and-fourth-overall picks in this year’s draft, and they have three second-round picks: No. 33, No. 35 and No. 64.
Asking for the first and fourth-overall picks might be too high of an asking price—even for a talent such as Beckham. Then again, the Browns have made some hair-scratching decisions in the past so you never know.
A more realistic scenario would be for the Giants to ask for one of the first-round picks, No. 1 or No. 4, one of their first two second-round picks, a high-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and, perhaps, receiver Corey Coleman.
It’s hard to get equal value back in any deal, especially one that involves a superstar like Beckham. So if the Giants are going to part ways with their best player, they’re going to want as much as they can get in return and the Browns have the most to offer.
Browns have the cap space to offer Beckham a long-term deal
If a team trades for Beckham, they’re also going to have the cap space needed to sign him to a long-term deal. After all, it wouldn’t make sense to give up several picks and perhaps a player or two and still have to worry if you can keep the guy you just traded for long term.
According to Spotrac, the Browns have just over $58 million in cap space left for 2018, which is the most in the NFL. They also have roughly $53 million in projected cap space for 2019.
Signing OBJ to a long-term deal and making him the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver are two things the Browns can absolutely accomplish.
Beckham would be reunited with Jarvis Landry
Playing in Cleveland has worked for LeBron James, so it could certainly work for OBJ. That he’d be reunited with Jarvis Landry, one of his closest friends and a college teammate at LSU, only makes Cleveland rock a bit more for Beckham.
A reunion has been on Landry’s mind ever since rumors began to circulate.
Come to the @Browns reunite me with my brother @OBJ_3 #13 #80 https://t.co/EW4oJEkqgF
— Jarvis Juice Landry (@God_Son80) March 26, 2018
Many feel Beckham is similar to LeBron in the sense that he would like to play alongside his closest friends. As we all remember, LeBron took his talents to Miami in July 2010 so that he could play with his close friend Dwayne Wade (and Chris Bosh).
The chance to team up with Landry once again might be enough to make OBJ forget about the fact that the Browns have won just one game over the past two seasons and sign an extension.
