If you thought the Antonio Brown trade was a barn-burner, there’s now another elite receiver moving cities via trade.
Per ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Giants have decided to move on from Beckham, and they’ll receive Cleveland’s first-round pick in 2019 (the 17th overall pick), as well as the Browns’ second third-round pick this year, and safety Jabrill Peppers.
That’s a big haul for the Giants as they enter what could be a multi-year rebuilding mode, but what it does for the Browns could be franchise-changing. Cleveland had already signed defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson and traded guard Kevin Zeitler to the Giants for the services of defensive end Olivier Vernon, so the defense is stout. But to give Baker Mayfield a target of Beckham’s talent along with all the other developing weapons in Freddie Kitchens’ offense? This is the kind of move that could propel the Browns to the top of the AFC North in an instant.
Last year, Jarvis Landry led the Browns with 81 catches on 149 targets for 976 yards and four touchdowns. He’s an excellent short-to-intermediate receiver, but as a deep guy, he’s somewhat limited. Adding Beckham, who commands No. 1 receiver coverage in every instance, will free things up for Landry and the rest of Mayfield’s receivers, giving the second-year quarterback a fully functional passing game to rival any in the league.
And as pointed out by ESPN Stats & Info, Beckham and Landry already have a notable chemistry.
It’s been a long drought for Browns fans, but this franchise in its current incarnation has proven that it not only has the wherewithal to develop talent through the draft, but also that it’s not afraid to go in hard on the big move when necessary. Beckham, an athletic and acrobatic marvel on the field, is proof enough of that.
As for Mayfield, we assume he’s reacting something like this:
