The Cleveland Browns are reportedly open to trading Odell Beckham Jr., but Maurice Jones-Drew believes that’s a bad idea.
“For the Browns, you got to keep as much talent as possible,” the NFL Network analyst said on Tiki & Tierney. “You got a new coach in there running a system that has won a lot of Super Bowls, but you need talent. To trade Odell Beckham Jr. makes zero sense.”
In March 2019, the Browns traded a first-round pick, a third-round pick and Jabrill Peppers to the Giants to acquire OBJ, who was supposed to help Cleveland not only win the AFC North, but contend for a Super Bowl. Instead, the Browns went 6-10, missing the playoffs for the 17th straight season.
Jones-Drew, however, doesn’t blame OBJ for that.
“It had zero to do with the weapons on the outside,” he said. “It had everything to do with the offensive line, and their offensive line was horrendous. Baker Mayfield didn’t have any time, they were rotating guys in and out – that’s a problem. With all that being said, he still had 1,000 yards as crazy as that season was.”
Indeed, Beckham had 74 receptions for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns in 2019, as the Browns finished 22nd in total offense and scoring offense (20.9 points per game).
“I know for a fact – and it’s a true and tried [fact] – in this league, you need talent to win,” Jones-Drew said. “You look at the Chiefs: a talented roster from top to bottom. They got dudes that can play – and that’s what you need. The Browns, you went out and made this trade happen. You can’t tell me the team is better without him.”