CLEVELAND, Ohio – He has very few unexpressed feelings and thoughts.
That’s one of the things the Browns and their fans learned after being around Odell Beckham Jr. for a while. The receiver is an emotional man, and he’s very sensitive to criticism. Part of me wonders if Beckham will ever be content with the Browns. My sense is Beckham will always battle with feeling some discontent, regardless of his situation.
But that’s not nearly as important is this question: Will he be productive in the offense of new head coach Kevin Stefanski? That’s not something that can be measured simply in the number of receptions and yards.
Beckham took part in a roundtable online discussion with Cam Newton, Victor Cruz and Todd Gurley called “The Bigger Picture.” They discussed a variety of topics. But this comment caught my attention: “I want an opportunity to catch the ball. I want the same opportunities that all these other receivers have in the league when they’re getting 2,000 targets and ending up with 150 catches.”
Let’s understand Beckham is speaking in hyperbole. But he delivered a message: He wants more chances to make catches.
Some 2019 stats on Beckham:
1. He ranked 15th with 133 targets, Jarvis Landry was No. 10 with 138. Only five receivers had more than 150.
2. In other words, Beckham had the ball thrown in his direction a lot. Minnesota’s leading receiver was Stefon Diggs, targeted only 91 times in Stefanski’s Minnesota offense.
3. According to Profootballfocus (PFF), Beckham had the most “deep ball incompletions (20+ yards) deemed the QB’s fault in 2019.″ Here are the stats: Beckham (16), James Washington (12) and Robbie Anderson (12).
4. So if you thought the Browns were sometimes forcing the ball to Beckham by Baker Mayfield heaving the ball with little chance of success – you’re right.
5. It can’t be just about about targets, but what kind of passes? Mayfield ranked 31st out of 32 starting QBs in completion percentage (59 percent). One of Stefanski’s big goals is to raise that completion number for Mayfield.
WHAT IS REALISTIC?
Stefanski comes to town with an offense that loves the running game and play-action passing, often targeting tight ends. This should be ideal for the Browns, who have two Pro Bowl running backs in Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb.
They signed free agent tight end Austin Hooper. David Njoku has said he’d rather be traded than play in an offense that used at least two tight ends on 59 percent of plays called by Stefanski last season. He should stay, opportunities are there for him.
But what about wide receivers Landry and Beckham? My guess is Landry will be content without being targeted 2,000 times. Landry wants the ball. But in 2018, he showed how he could blend into a balanced run/pass offense.
Minnesota’s top receiver last season was Diggs, with 63 catches. He had 42 fewer passes thrown to him than Beckham in 2019. But Diggs was extremely productive. He averaged 17.9 yards per catch, No. 4 among receivers. He also totaled more yards (1,130) than Beckham (1,035).
However, Diggs was not happy. He wanted more targets. He had dropped from 149 targets and 102 catches in 2018 under former coordinator John DeFilippo to far fewer passes with Stefanski. He was dealt after the 2019 season to Buffalo.
The Vikings were 8-7-1 in 2018 throwing the ball often. They rose to 10-6 in 2019 with Stefanski calling the plays and throwing 140 fewer passes than the year before.
I expect the Browns to throw the ball less this season, especially to the receivers. Beckham needs to be ready for that.
BIG YEAR FOR BECKHAM
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell rated the skill players on each NFL team, not counting the QBs. It was running backs and receivers, and the Browns came in at No. 2 behind Kansas City.
Barnwell wrote this about Beckham:
“He played through a hernia in 2019, and there’s a good chance he bounces back in 2020. But it’s also fair to note that we’re now three years removed from the OBJ who was one of the league’s best wideouts with the Giants.
“Beckham averaged 95.9 receiving yards per game over his first three seasons, with that number falling to 74.7 yards over the past three campaigns. ... If Beckham has another season in which he fails to live up to that level of play (in his first three years), we probably need to reevaluate our expectations for one of the league’s most talented receivers.”
In 2019, Beckham played all 16 games for only the second time in his seven-year career. But he seldom was healthy. He didn’t practice a lot to protect his body.
“Each year, I still have 1,000 yards and they want to talk about ‘you’re not the same player,‘ " Beckham said in that roundtable discussion. “I understand the game now. And that’s why you see the blond is back.”
He meant back to dying his hair blond as he did in his best seasons with New York.
For the Browns to have a winning record, they have to use Beckham wisely – as Minnesota did with Diggs a year ago. Can he accept that role?
Beckham has been on only one winning team in his seven seasons. This losing trend can change in 2020 if he realizes how the offense will accentuate the running backs and shorter passes to a variety of receivers.
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