CLEVELAND — Editor's note: the video in the player above is from a previous story.
Ever since he was acquired in a trade with the New York Giants in March of 2019, it seems that Odell Beckham Jr.'s future with the Cleveland Browns has been the subject of speculation.
But as the 2021 NFL Trade Deadline approaches at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, there really does appear to be reason to believe that Beckham's days with the Browns are numbered.
Now 29 games into his Cleveland career, it would be tough to argue that the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver's time with the Browns hasn't been a disappointment. Beckham's underwhelming two and a half seasons in Cleveland was exemplified on Sunday, he caught just one pass for six yards -- his lone official target of the game -- in the Browns' 15-10 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Paltry statistical outputs have become the norm for Beckham, who has tallied just two 100-yard receiving games in Cleveland -- the last of which occurred on Oct. 13, 2019. But with the trade deadline looming and the Browns sitting in last place of the AFC North following a disappointing 4-4 start, this performance appears to have carried extra weight.
Hours ahead of Tuesday's deadline, Beckham's father, Odell Beckham Sr., took to Instagram to share an 11-minute-long clip filled with plays in which Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield failed to connect with his son. After that, Beckham's friend and NBA superstar LeBron James took to Twitter to encourage the Browns to part ways with the 2014 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year.
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski downplayed Beckham's lack of production in the Browns' offense.
“I would tell you first and foremost, I need to do a better job. I really do," Stefanski said. "I need to make sure that I put him in position to make some plays, and I did not do a good enough job certainly yesterday.
"Having said that, he gets a lot of attention from the defense. There were a bunch of plays where the safety is cheating to him, and that opens up opportunities for other guys. I think of an early third down that we had where the post safety stayed to the boundary side because he was cheating towards Odell, and we hit a big play to Jarvis [Landry]. His effect on our offense is there, but I do need to do a better job of making sure that the ball makes its way into his hands.”