The New York Giants have agreed to trade wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported the Giants will receive the Browns’ 2019 first-round pick (No. 17 overall), the Browns’ second 2019 third-round pick, and safety Jabrill Peppers.
Beckham, 26, signed a five-year deal worth up to $98.5 million before the start of the regular season. It made him the NFL’s highest paid receiver and seemed to assure his place on the Giants’ roster.
However, the Giants went 5-11 last season. Beckham also had some incidents which angered the Giants’ brass including publicly calling out quarterback Eli Manning. The Giants were not actively shopping Beckham but they did listen to offers when teams called. According to sources, the Browns and San Francisco 49ers were the most interested.
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General manager Dave Gettleman repeatedly blew off any suggestion they were looking to deal Beckham. He frequently said, “We didn’t sign Odell to trade him”. The Giants will still carry $16 million of dead money after paying him $21.5 million for 12 games last season.
Beckham was selected with the 12th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. He started 56 of his 59 career games with the Giants, catching 390 passes for 5,476 yards and 44 touchdowns. He is ranked fourth in franchise history in receptions, second in yards, and fourth in touchdowns.
The Giants are now in full rebuild mode after the departures of Beckham, Landon Collins, and Olivier Vernon. The decision to sign Beckham to a record-setting deal is questionable at best after trading him more than six months later. He will be reunited with his LSU teammate Jarvis Landry.
– Curtis Rawls is a Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage and covers the NFL and the New York Giants. Please like and follow on Facebook and Twitter. Curtis can be followed on Twitter @CuRawls203.
