Odell Beckham Jr.'s arrival in Cleveland has created a buzz in the city not seen since LeBron James announced he would return to Ohio after four seasons in Miami.
The three-time NBA champion has since left his home state again but retains an interest in Cleveland teams—even though he's technically a Dallas Cowboys fan. He wasted no time in showing his support for the Browns' new star.
On Wednesday, shortly after the trade was confirmed, the Browns tweeted a clip of Beckham Jr.'s jerseys being produced and LeBron swiftly suggested he deserved to be the recipient of Cleveland's first-ever jersey, with the wide receiver's name emblazoned on the back.
While he lives in Los Angeles, James has welcomed Beckham Jr. to his home state with open arms and has been thrown his support behind the Browns on social media since news of the trade emerged.
On Wednesday, the four-time MVP posted a picture on his Instagram account of Beckham Jr. wearing a Browns jersey, along with the message "OH MY!!!! S*#% just got REAL!! "
The post attracted over 10,000 comments and one of them came from the Browns' new star himself, who seized the opportunity to sound out Cleveland's real estate market.
"Lemme hold the crib down," Beckham Jr. wrote, jokingly suggesting LeBron should allow him to live in his mansion in Akron.
The signing of the 26-year-old represents an incredible coup for the Browns, particularly as they only gave up safety Jabril Peppers, a first-round pick and a third-round pick to land the three-time Pro Bowler.
Beckham Jr.'s arrival is expected to turn the Browns into immediate contenders for a divisional title and a playoff spot. In Cleveland he will be reunited with former Louisiana State University teammate Jarvis Landry and receivers coach Adam Henry, who worked with him at LSU and in New York.
With Beckham Jr., Landry and Antonio Callaway, the Browns' receiving corps are now stacked with talent, something that should maximize the potential of second-year quarterback Baker Mayfield.
The former Oklahoma star threw 27 touchdowns in his 13 starts for the Browns last season, breaking the passing touchdown record for a rookie quarterback previously held jointly by Peyton Manning and Russell Wilson.
Cleveland has also added star running back Kareem Hunt to its offense. While the former Kansas City Chiefs star will have to serve a suspension for a portion of the season for his role in a domestic violence case, he should be a major asset for the Browns once he returns.
Uncommon Knowledge
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About the writer
Dan Cancian is currently a reporter for Newsweek based in London, England. Prior to joining Newsweek in January 2018, he ... Read more
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