CLEVELAND — Cleveland Browns general manager John Dorsey is not afraid to make bold moves, and he certainly proved that Tuesday night by trading for Pro Bowl wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. and sending the Nos. 17 and 95 picks in the 2019 NFL Draft, as well as safety Jabrill Peppers to the New York Giants.
Reaction from Browns fans was swift and ranged from utter jubilation to concern that the cost to acquire Beckham Jr. was too high.
First, there was the excitement over getting Beckham Jr., and with good reason.
Over 59 regular-season games, including 56 starts, in 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.
Fans were just as excited as the players.
Even veteran NFL reporters seemed excited about the deal.
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 into a 77-catch, 1,052-yard, six-touchdown effort for the Giants.
Beckham Jr. is a three-time Pro Bowl selection (2014-2016) and two-time Second Team All-Pro honoree (2015-2016) during his five years with the Giants.
Despite the production, there are some who are worried that the Browns gave up too much to obtain Beckham Jr.’s services.
For the Browns, the offseason begins in early April, and under league rules, they get two extra weeks of offseason work with new head coach Freddie Kitchens, meaning quarterback Baker Mayfield will get nearly a dozen days of meetings and on-field work to build chemistry with Beckham Jr. before most other teams get to work.