3 Reasons Odell Beckham Jr. Is Poised For A Bounce-Back Season

When the Browns traded for Odell Beckham Jr. last March, they envisioned Beckham as the top option in a high-powered offense.

Those expectations were never met. Beckham posted some of the worst statistics of his career in 2019, and the Browns’ offense never lived up to its preseason billing.

This year, Beckham has a chance to rebuild his reputation as one of the league’s best receivers. Here are three reasons why he might.

1. Health

It sounds simple to say, but what if it’s that simple? Beckham had surgery this offseason to repair a hip and groin injury that reportedly hampered him throughout last season.

Last month, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski said Beckham was “fully recovered” from the surgery. If that’s the case, the Browns have plenty reason to be excited about the former All-Pro.

Sure, Beckham posted some of the lowest numbers of his career last season. He finished with career lows (minimum 12 games) in receptions (74), receiving yards (1,032) touchdowns (four) and catch percentage (55.6 percent).

Before that, though, Beckham had established himself as one of the leagues top receivers. He topped 1,300 receiving yards in three of his five seasons with the Giants and ranked third in the league in yards per game from 2014-2018.

Beckham is still 27. That talent didn’t disappear. If he can stay healthy this season, he can remind the NFL of how impressive his talent is.

Baker Mayfield

Beckham’s production is tied directly to Mayfield’s, and Mayfield struggled to produce consistently in 2019. The Browns think a revamped offensive line and a new coaching staff can reverse that trend, and if they’re right, that’s great news for Beckham.

Mayfield finished his rookie season with a 93.7 quarterback rating. Beckham hasn’t played with a quarterback rated that high since 2015, his best season. He finished with 96 catches for 1,450 yards and 13 touchdowns in 15 games that season.

So if Stefanski’s coaching staff can help Mayfield regain his first-year form, Beckham could be poised for a huge season. And with a receiver like Beckham in tow, Mayfield could surpass the heights he reached as a rookie.

Supporting cast

In Beckham’s five years with the Giants, only two of his offensive teammates made the Pro Bowl: Eli Manning in 2015 and Saquon Barkley in 2018. This season, Beckham will play alongside seven former Pro Bowlers.

That’ll make it awfully hard for defenses to double-team him.

Jarvis Landry is probably the best wide receiver Beckham has ever played alongside. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt will keep safetys guessing on play-action fakes. Austin Hooper will draw attention, too, and the Browns’ upgraded offensive line (which features two former Pro-Bowlers in Joel Bitonio and Jack Conklin) should give Mayfield enough time to find the best option.

Even when teams did double Beckham in New York, they couldn’t stop him when he was healthy. Now they’ll have to either single-team him or risk getting burned by one of the Browns’ other dangerous weapons.