Odell Beckham traded from Giants to Browns in league-shifting off season blockbuster

The rumors can end because a trade is happening: Odell Beckham Jr. has been traded from the Giants to the Browns. Mike Garafolo of NFL Media first reported the news, which was confirmed by CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora:

BREAKING: The #Browns have traded for #Giants WR Odell Beckham, sources say. The deal is done. I am not joking.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) March 12, 2019

The Giants just notified Odell Beckham’s camp he has been dealt to the Browns. Question becomes, post-AB: Will the Browns guarantee his contract like the Raiders did OBJ?

— Jason La Canfora (@JasonLaCanfora) March 13, 2019

According to Adam Schefter of ESPN, the trade involves the Browns sending their first-round pick in 2019 (No. 17 overall), one of the Browns third-round picks this year (their second one) as well as safety Jabrill Peppers.

It’s a stunner of a deal and, frankly, an incredible steal for the Browns. They lose a potential stud and former first-round pick in terms of Peppers but their offense is suddenly LOADED.

Baker Mayfield, who should have been the 2018 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, will be throwing to Beckham, Jarvis Landry (OBJ’s teammate at LSU), Antonio Callaway and David Njoku. Not too shabb,y and you can throw Nick Chubb into the mix in the backfield as well. This is suddenly a filthy offense the Browns are trotting out onto the field as they hope to contend for the division title.

It’s an aggressive-as-all-get-out play by GM John Dorsey, and it probably won’t be cheap. A report from Ian Rapoport of NFL Media indicates that “the expectation” is Odell will want a new contract as well.

For the Giants, this is not entirely a white-flag situation with their 2019 season, but it does signal a move towards making Saquon Barkley the face of the franchise and moving on from the best player on the roster — not a thing teams usually do — just a year after doubling down on the twilight of Eli Manning’s career.