Odell Beckham Jr. released by Browns, are the Patriots a fit?

Author Alex Barth

November 5th, 2021 11:04 AM

Happy birthday Odell Beckham Jr.!

That’s right, the star receiver turns 29 years old on Friday, and what a whirlwind of a celebration it will likely be. Late Thursday night, Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio was the first to report that the Browns are working towards releasing the two-time All-Pro. Friday morning, ESPN’s Adam Schefter added that before officially placing Beckham on waivers, Cleveland reworked Beckham’s contract in order to lessen the financial hit of releasing him. According to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, Beckham’s new base salary is expected to be $1 million for 2021.

UPDATE: According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Browns and Beckham agreed to waive the final two years of Beckham’s contract. He’ll carry a $7.5 million cap hit for the remainder of this season, then become a free agent this March.

This move comes after what has been a rocky few years for Beckham in Cleveland. The final straw between the two sides came earlier this week, when Beckham’s father shared a video on social media calling out quarterback Baker Mayfield for not getting his son the ball.

Dating back to his time with the Giants, Beckham has often been floated as a potential fit in New England. Part of that was due to his admiration for quarterback Tom Brady, who is of course no longer a part of the picture in Foxborough. However, he’s also a fan of Bill Belichick, and “the feeling is mutual” on Belichick’s end, CLNS Media’s Evan Lazar reported this week. “To be going to Belichick, there is no like ‘How is it going to work?’ For me, all he want to do is to put you in a place to succeed, and I’m happy to see it,” Beckham said of Belichick in 2020.

Some have compared Beckham’s current situation to the one Randy Moss was in before arriving in New England. Seen as an elite receiver to begin his career with the Minnesota Vikings, Moss’ production dropped dramatically during two seasons in Oakland in 2005 and 2006. Unhappy with the situation, Moss demanded out and was traded to the Patriots for a fourth-round pick at 30-years-old, ultimately returning to superstar form in New England.

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  However, there are a few differences between the two situations. The situation Moss was put in with the Raiders was legitimately bad. He played for two head coaches and three offensive coordinators in two seasons (although he did manage to get out before Lane Kiffin arrived), and his quarterbacks were 33-year-old Kerry Collins, 30-year-old Aaron Brooks, and rookie Andrew Walter. The trio of head coach Kevin Stefanski, offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt, and Mayfield at quarterback - as much as they disagreed at times - should have resulted in more production.
  
  Still, when things are going right for Beckham he projects to be an ideal fit for the Patriots' offense. He's a smooth and controlled route runner at all three levels, a strong hands catcher, and is excellent with the ball in his hands. An accurate quarterback like Mac Jones would help re-unlock Beckham's potential.
  
  So what would need to happen for Beckham to end up in New England? Quite a lot, and that's where things get tricky.
  
  First, Beckham has to clear waivers before becoming an outright free agent. Priority on the waiver wire resets each week based on the league standings, with the Patriots currently in the 15th spot. Wide receiver-needy teams ahead of the Patriots include the Jaguars, Seahawks, Eagles, Falcons, Colts, and 49ers. If and when Beckham is claimed off waivers, the team putting in the claim would be awarded him on his current contract, which runs through 2023 and carries a $15 million cap hit starting in 2022. Teams have until Monday at 4 p.m. to place a claim, so don't expect a resolution here until early next week.
  
  On the surface, it seems unlikely a player of Beckham's caliber would go unclaimed for the veteran minimum*. However, Beckham's stock is clearly low right now across the league, as evidenced by Cleveland's failure to be able to move him at last week's trade deadline.
  *See update above.

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  If Beckham were to clear waivers, he'd become an unrestricted free agent able to negotiate a new contract with any team. If this situation were to play out, it could be advantageous to the Patriots even with their limited cap space.
  
  As mentioned above, Beckham likely isn't viewed as highly by NFL teams right now as he has been in the past. The money he's looking for may not be there on the open market right now. If so, his best course of action might be to just sign for the remainder of the season with a team he knows he can succeed with, and boost his stock for free agency this spring. It just so happens that those types of situations seem to be the Patriots' specialty.
  
  For Beckham to come to New England though, some changes would need to be made. According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Beckham didn't become disillusioned with the Browns because of his teammates but rather the run-heavy offensive system that didn't afford him as many targets. The Patriots have been a balanced offense by the current league standard, ranking 15th in the league with a 59.49 pass percentage. For comparison the Browns rank 30th, throwing on just 51.27 percent of their offensive snaps. Plus, when the Patriots do throw the ball, Mac Jones has done a good job of spreading it between receivers, with eight different players seeing at least 12 targets through eight games.
  
  Of course, adding Beckham would likely bring a change to the Patriots' offensive philosophy. But getting him to buy in on that change, then implementing it, will take time as the second half of the season gets underway.
  
  Ultimately, the positive should outweigh the negatives when it comes to the Patriots considering adding Beckham, either with a wavier claim or through free agency if things get that far. It may not be that simple with a waiver number in the mid-teens and just over $2.5 million in salary cap space, but if Belichick can make it happen, such a move would have homerun potential both for the 2021 season and beyond.

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MORE: Patriots-Panthers Key Matchups

Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.

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Author Alex Barth

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