Getty Images Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. of the Los Angeles Rams.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson is the latest to weigh in on the Cleveland Browns divorce from Odell Beckham Jr., calling those within the franchise “clowns” for how things unfolded.
Beckham has had a solid start to his career with the Los Angeles Rams, the team he signed with after being let go by the Browns. That includes a touchdown in three of his first four games in Los Angeles, something he was never able to consistently able to do in Cleveland. He notched just seven in his entire Browns tenure, which lasted 29 games.
After Beckham caught a touchdown on Monday Night Football against the Cardinals, Jefferson sounded off on Twitter, calling out the Browns and the rest of the OBJ doubters.
“OBJ WAS NOT THE PROBLEM!! I hope y’all see that now…CLOWNS,” Jefferson tweeted.
Jefferson Has Chimed on OBJ Drama Before
It’s not the first time Jefferson has been vocal about the situation. He wore a “FREE ODELL” shirt before a game while all the drama was going down in Cleveland.
“He’s free now,” Jefferson said after Beckham signed with the Rams. “I was just talking to him the other day about the whole situation and everything. Just hope for the best for him, hope he goes into the perfect situation for him. I want to see him do great things and get back to the old OBJ.”
Jefferson and Beckham are buddies due to their LSU connection, with Beckham famously giving him cash after the National Championship game, landing the Tigers in hot water. And Jefferson even played a role with where OBJ landed, telling him not to come to the NFC North.
“I was like, ‘Look, bro, don’t go to Green Bay. We ain’t seen them yet,” Jefferson told reporters. “We still have to see them twice. Don’t go there, please.’ But I mean, if that’s the situation for him, then go for it. I love Aaron Rodgers, I love Davante Adams, so I think they would be a good mix for him, but I mean, I definitely don’t want to see it.”
Browns Trying to Put Beckham Behind Them
The Beckham drama caused some clear issues within the Browns organization. Despite his polarizing reputation, Beckham was very well-liked in the locker room, especially by the team’s young wide receivers. But Beckham’s lack of role in the offense coupled with off-field issues — premier among those being a social media post by his father calling out Baker Mayfield and the team — led to his release.
“We’re moving on,” Browns coach Kevin Stefanski said of Cleveland’s decision to release Beckham in November. “It’s unfortunate how it happened. I think it’s unfortunate for both sides, but we have to move on.”
While the Browns still have Jarvis Landry in their arsenal, the team has struggled on the offensive side of the ball, especially through the air. The Browns managed 24 points against the Ravens last week, but one of those touchdowns came from the defense. Prior to that, the team had scored just 30 points in three weeks.