CLEVELAND — It must have been a whirlwind of a week for Odell Beckham Jr., especially after his trade to the Cleveland Browns from the New York Giants, with whom he signed a lucrative five-year contract extension last July.
In a since-deleted Instagram post Tuesday, Beckham Jr. said he was “going dark” on social media for a while in order to process the career-changing move. Currently, Beckham Jr. is on vacation and has yet to be introduced to Cleveland in a press conference.
“P.S.A. I love you all so much,” Beckham, 26, wrote in the post. “For the ones that follow and support, I thank u all for that. I’m takin an emotional, mental, physical/blah blah blah vacation.
“I appreciate the love honestly, but at this moment, for the next couple of days I’m goin’ dark. I won’t be around, phone is gone, with all due respect, please don’t text/call/FaceTime unless it’s of the utmost importance. I really need some time to vibe and just get away, process, reevaluate some of the things in my life, as much has changed for me recently.”
Over 59 regular-season games, including 56 starts, in his five years with the Giants, Beckham Jr. turned 622 targets into 390 receptions for 5,476 yards and 44 touchdowns. Beckham Jr. averaged 92.8 yards per game, including a league-best 108.8 during the 2014 season.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Beckham Jr. has put four 1,000-yard and three double-digit touchdown seasons on his resume since being selected with a first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Louisiana State University.
Last season, Beckham Jr. turned in a 77-catch, 1,052-yard, six-touchdown effort for the Giants.
By trading for Beckham Jr., Dorsey reunited the talented pass-catcher with his teammate from Louisiana State University, Browns Pro Bowl receiver Jarvis Landry.
General manager John Dorsey expects Beckham Jr. and Landry to push each other to be at their very best, whether that is in practice or games.
“I know that they are best of friends,” Dorsey said in a conference call after the trade was made official last week. “They are very competitive with each other. I heard (former LSU and Kansas coach) Les Miles talk about how those two would drive each other, and push each other when they were at LSU, to compete. I think it can only help each other because that competition brings out the best in any athlete, regardless of the sport.
“You can’t have enough competitive football players. We all understand the magnitude of his ability to play the game of football. He is a good football player, and you can’t have enough weapons around you. He is a really good asset to have on our football team.”