Browns reel in Odell Beckham

John Dorsey sure knows how to fire up his base and the seemingly endless field of Democratic Presidential candidates could learn a few things from the engineer of the rebuild of the Cleveland Browns.

Dorsey allowed the first day of free agency (commitments, not official signings, those cannot start until today) to quietly go slide by and Browns fans wondered about Dorsey's plans when linebacker C.J, Mosley, a player desired by most Browns fans, signed with the New York Jets, not the Browns.

Dorsey apparently planned on a more spectacular day two as it would be the Cleveland Browns that would be the talk of the football world at the end of this night.
Earlier in the day, the Browns had made their first transaction in signing defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson in a move that had Browns fans and football scribes giving the team plenty of credit for improving a defensive line's pass rush and sending a front four of the caliber that the Browns have not seen in years.
Dorsey then followed up with a one-year contract with Breshad Perriman, the former Baltimore first-round wideout that revived his career in Cleveland.
Perriman was expected to perhaps exceed that number in salary and the Browns seemed to have retained their base receiving corps at a fair price for the 2019 season.

The Browns looked now to be adding to the back seven with needs to be addressed in the secondary and at linebacker in free agency and the draft with many of the available upgrades taken out of the free agency pool, but John Dorsey not only wasn't finished, he was able to rock more than the football universe, but the sports universe as well.

Trades involving Odell Beckham had been rumored for months and not only with the Browns.
It was tough to see why the Giants signed Beckham to a five-year/ninety million dollar contract, paid him a sizable upfront bonus and they would shop him as available, but available he seemed to be, but the Browns had to wonder about the price that they would pay.
After all, one of the other top wideouts in the game was going to be traded in Pittsburgh's Antonio Brown, and using Brown to gauge the market for Beckham, who is younger, made sense.
However, after the Steelers seemed to trade Brown for nowhere near his value (3rd and 5th round pick in April's draft), the Giants appeared to have made the decision to swap Beckham now for the best that they could reel in.
That return was better than Pittsburgh's, but far from what was expected as the Browns traded their first-round pick (17th overall), the third-round pick that the Browns obtained from New England for Danny Shelton (the last pick in the third round before compensation picks) and safety Jabrill Peppers to add Odell Beckham to their roster to solidify the Browns as a contender in 2019.
Beckham caught 77 passes for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns last season over 12 games, for a Giants team that was often criticized for Eli Manning's lack of arm strength to throw the ball downfield and a propensity to check down and dump the ball off to rookie running back Saquon Barkley, who finished the season with 91 catches to show often Manning did just that.

Considering the skills of Beckham, the Browns got away with theft should Beckham perform as expected.
The Browns haven't picked as low as 17 with their own pick in the first round in years and the third is one acquired from New England, so they still have a 3rd rounder.
As for Jabrill Peppers, his play did improve last year at safety, but he never seemed to show the playmaking skills that he was supposed to have (other than a terrific game against Denver last season) and he was very disappointing in the return game.
Some were calling Peppers a bust last night in the euphoria after the trade and even though I've never been a fan of his, calling him a bust is unfair.
Peppers may develop further as a Giant, but including him in the trade didn't exactly make me wince as safety was a position of need with him, showing that losing him wouldn't be a huge hit to the roster.

Odell Beckham's not perfect.
Beckham missed four games last season and twelve in 2017, had issues with the Giants, although he was very popular in the locker room, so he wasn't a clubhouse cancer there, but wasn't afraid to criticize the offense, play-calling, and the eroding skills of quarterback Eli Manning.
That's the downside, other than Beckham's agent already making a little noise about contract modifications similar to those of Antonio Brown, but the Browns have enough space to accommodate those fairly easily.

Now for what the Browns are bringing to Lake Erie.
Odell Beckham is easily in the upper tier of receivers in the game with all the names you would think of as such, has deep speed, excellent hands, and generally hasn't been criticized for a lack of effort.
Beckham's in his prime (turns 27 during the season) and should have his Cleveland transition eased with his good friend and college teammate Jarvis Landry and Adam Henry was his position coach with both LSU and the Giants on the roster/coaching staff.
Spare the trading of a number one, when you consider where that first-rounder resides, this isn't trading that pick for Antonio Brown (31, Beckham's contract will almost be over before he reaches that age), you are getting an elite player in his prime for a middle of the first-round draft pick.
I value draft picks even more than most, but you can't value them that high considering that this trade involves a young superstar and just one first-rounder is involved.
My opinion might have changed if the cost was as rumored earlier in the day (2019 and 2020 first-rounder and backup defensive Emmanuel Ogbah for Beckham and the Giants 2020 second-rounder), but I'm more than fine with this cost.

The Browns still need some help.
They released tight end Darren Fells (a 2018 FA signee) over the weekend and some help for the enigmatic David Njoku couldn't hurt.
The linebackers need help with at least one and maybe even two, depending on where they want to play Olivier Vernon (Likely prefer DE, but can play linebacker) and the status of Emmanuel Ogbah (could they get a 2020 pick at the draft?) and safety was a position that could have used help before trading Jabrill Peppers and now is a spot that John Dorsey must address (Pro Bowler Earl Thomas is rumored to be currently considering the Browns after trading for Beckham).

On paper, this is a team that seems to be at least the division co-favorite and all things considered maybe the favorite in the AFC North.
I'm not sure that they are better than New England or Kansas City yet, but they are going to put lots of points on the scoreboard and they are going to pound some opposing passers.
With a rookie head coach and a second-year quarterback that occasionally shows (on-field) maturity problems, there may be a grace period needed before everyone is on the same page, but finally, the Browns are contenders again.

Browns to sign Sheldon Richardson

The Cleveland Browns might have been "in" on a few players on free agency day one and players that they were rumored to be interested in decided to go elsewhere, but on the morning of day two, John Dorsey struck hard with a major upgrade to the defense that could tip his hand on what position that the Browns may need to address in the draft.

Cleveland has entered an agreement on a three-year contract with Vikings defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson that is reportedly valued at 39 million dollars with 21.5 of those dollars guaranteed.

The Browns will be Richardson's fourth team in three years after the Jets traded him in mid-season 2017 to Seattle and signing a one year deal with Minnesota last season.
Richardson was the first round selection by the New York Jets out of Missouri in 2013 and finished last season for Minnesota with 26 solo tackles, six of those for losses and four and a half sacks from his interior line position.
Richardson is one of the better pass rushing defensive tackles in the game, is far more suited to a 4-3 defense, which the Browns and Vikings both run and will force teams to pay attention to Richardson and Larry Ogunjobi inside and not give double team help against both Myles Garrett and Olivier Vernon on the outside.

The addition of Sheldon Richardson gives the Browns a front four pass rush that the fans haven't seen in years without a weak spot all across the Garrett, Richardson, Ogunjobi and Vernon line and opposing quarterbacks should be extremely concerned.
However, it does raise questions about Emmanuel Ogbah. Will Ogbah return for the final year of his rookie contract or does John Dorsey attempt to get something for him now or does he keep him as a pretty strong backup defensive end?
I'm doubtful that the Browns will pick up their fifth-year option on Ogbah, so if the Browns want to receive anything for him, they will have to move him soon, although it wouldn't have to come at draft time, but it's also possible that Ogbah still sees plenty of time or even retains his job as a starter, if the Browns aren't able to upgrade at the linebacker position, Cleveland could play Olivier Vernon there if that is the best way to improve the linebackers.
I like Vernon better off the edge as an end, but he's proven solid at linebacker as well.
Ogbah sprained his ankle in the opener against Pittsburgh last season and even though he missed two games, he never seemed to catch up and finished the season with only three sacks after Ogbah and Myles Garrett had made the case before the 2018 draft that Ogbah was worth passing over eventual defensive rookie of the year Bradley Chubb.
The Browns would pass over Chubb and did very well with their selection of cornerback Denzel Ward, but Ogbah's proclamations far from worked out.

The Browns also retained wide receiver Breshad Perriman, when the wide receiver signed a one year contract for four million dollars.
The 25-year-old Perriman, a former 2016 first rounder by the Ravens was released in camp by Baltimore and later in the year by Washington without playing in a game for them, caught 16 passes in ten games, but late in the season was able to establish himself as a deep threat for Baker Mayfield in averaging twenty-one yards per grab.
Cleveland wanted to re-sign Perriman before the beginning of free agency, but Perriman decided to test the market before quickly returning to the Browns.
This is a deal that works for both the player and the team as Perriman can try free agency again with a strong season with the Browns not paying a lot and if Perriman's finish proves to be a mirage, Cleveland can walk away after the conclusion of the year.

Editor's Note: Right after I wrote this, the Browns acquired Odell Beckham and Perriman asked to be relieved of his commitment.
The Browns agreed to do so and Perriman signed a one year deal for the same money with Tampa Bay.
Classy move by the Browns and it will help spread the word as a place where the players are treated fairly and will want to spend their career there.