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Odell Beckham Jr. continues to focus on the Giants

Matt Verderame NFL

Odell Beckham Jr. can’t quit his old team.

The former New York Giants has talked about New York and his old quarterback throughout the offseason, all while seemingly forgetting he no longer plays in the shadow of Gotham. After being traded to the Cleveland Browns in exchange for a pair of draft picks — including a 2019 first-rounder — and safety Jabrill Peppers, Beckham’s arrival was met with much fanfare. Certainly, general manager John Dorsey is banking on Beckham becoming a linchpin in a new era of Browns football. If that’s going to happen, Beckham’s focus must be on Cleveland, a team trying to win its first playoff game since 1994, and make its first postseason appearance since 2002.

Yet on Friday, Beckham continued to sound off about his old team during an interview with Complex.

“I can’t wait to get going. I just felt with the Giants I was stuck at a place that wasn’t working for me anymore. I felt like I wasn’t going to be able to reach my potential there; mentally, physically, spiritually, everything I felt capable of doing, I just couldn’t see it happening there. So I think allowing me to be in an environment where I can be myself and give it a different approach, I feel like my football will benefit. I’m just excited about being able to play football again and not have to deal with all the other stuff and politics that came with my previous role.”

At some point, Beckham has to start worrying about the Browns more than the Giants. Since the trade, Beckham showed up for one OTA session before deciding to skip town, only coming back to the banks of Lake Erie for mandatory minicamp. While Beckham certainly has the right to skip voluntary workouts, it’s a tough look for a player trying to make an impression on a new team. It’s even more unseemly considering he’s on the biggest deal for a receiver in league history, making $90 million ($65 million guaranteed) over five years.

With training camp only a month away, it’s likely. the rhetoric about the Giants — or any other outside force Beckham is paying attention to — dies down. The storylines will start being about how he fits with Baker Mayfield and whether Cleveland can topple the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens in the AFC North.

For the time being, though, Beckham would be wise to stay above the fray and below the fold.

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