Browns GM Andrew Berry will listen to trade offers for Odell Beckham Jr. and others but ‘we view him as part of our future’

INDIANAPOLIS — The Browns seem committed to moving forward with receiver Odell Beckham Jr., but new GM Andrew Berry, who promises to be aggressive, will listen to trade offers for the three-time Pro Bowler.

“I won’t discuss any specific player in terms of trade opportunities, trade calls or anything like that,’’ Berry said when specifically asked about Beckham. “I did work under probably the strongest wheeler-dealer in the league under [Eagles GM] Howie Roseman and it’s something that you always pick up the phone and you listen to anything across the table.

“A lot of trade talk ends up being hollow across the NFL anyway. But again, we’re going to exploit any opportunity to improve the roster through any means necessary.’’

Berry and coach Kevin Stefanski, who both addressed the national media at the NFL Scouting Combine on Tuesday, spoke in glowing terms of Beckham and Jarvis Landry, and sounded eager to have them on the roster despite both coming off surgeries. Beckham underwent a core muscle procedure on Jan. 21st and Landry a hip surgery on Feb. 4th that will keep him sidelined until at least August.

"Odell’s a very talented football player,'' Berry said. "We view him as part of our future. Kevin and I both have had really good conversations about our expectations for him and we expect him to adapt to those moving forward. We’re excited about the future with Odell, excited about what he’s going to do this fall.''

Berry said the surgeries won’t impact his approach to the receiver position in the draft or free agency because they’re both on the mend and expected to be fully healthy for the 2020 season.

"I don’t think it has a significant impact in terms of our strategic planning,'' Berry said. "Both of these guys are more than well on their way from a rehabilitative perspective and we expect them to be significant contributors in the fall. So the injury situations from my perspective wouldn’t really influence it one way or the other.''

Kevin Stefanski has talked to Beckham and Landry about learning the system and taking mental reps when they’re not with the team.

"[I] have spoken to both of those guys about it and how they have to be very proactive about learning the system maybe when you’re not getting reps due to an injury,'' he said. "I’ve been able to spend some time with them as they’ve been working with Joe [Sheehan] and the medical staff.”

Last season, Baker Mayfield struggled to develop chemistry especially with Beckham since he couldn’t practice during the week.

"That’s our job as coaches to make sure when we have the guys available to us that we’re getting really good work,'' he said. "The pass game is about precision and timing so that’s something we have to really harp on and make sure we give them a plan.''

Trade speculation will swirl around Beckham this offseason because he stated last season that he didn’t know what the future held in 2020. He later amended that to say he’ll be with the Browns and is excited to be a part of this team, but teams will undoubtedly call about him nevertheless.

Beckham: ‘I’m not going anywhere; it’s just too special to leave'

One si.com report last week stated that Beckham would welcome a trade to the Jets, but a source told cleveland.com that’s unlikely to happen.


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