Odell Beckham Jr.: Giants 'Thought They’d Send Me [to the Browns] to Die'

The Giants traded Beckham to the Browns in March.

Browns WR Odell Beckham Jr. says he doesn't think the Giants’ decision to trade him to Cleveland was a business decision. The outspoken star says the trade, rather, was personal. 

In a new story for Sports Illustrated, Beckham, a three-time Pro-Bowler, claims he knows the Giants received better offers for him but still chose to send him to Cleveland out of spite. He says his former team knew the stigma that surrounded the Browns. 

“This wasn’t no business move,” Beckham said. “This was personal. They thought they’d send me here to die.”

Cleveland, who finished the 2018 season at 7–8–1 during then-rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield's first NFL year, hadn’t won a game in more than 600 days until Week 3 last season. 

Beckham, 26, also claimed that New York, the team he had played for since they selected him with the No. 12 pick in the 2014 NFL draft, never discussed preferred trade destinations with him before sending him to Cleveland.

The Giants had signed Beckham to a five-year, $95 million extension in 2018 before trading him to the Browns in March for right guard Kevin Zeitler and safety Jabrill Peppers and two draft picks.

Beckham joins former LSU teammate Jarvis Landry and Mayfield on a now-loaded Cleveland offense under the direction of first-year head coach Freddie Kitchens.