Browns Beckham Football

Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will soon be looking for a new team after a three-year run in Cleveland that didn’t come close to expectations. David Richard/Associated Press

CLEVELAND — Odell Beckham Jr. has run his last route for the Browns. He’s wide open now.

The polarizing wide receiver is being released by the Cleveland Browns, who are cutting ties with Beckham after a drama-filled stay that ended with him being told to stay home from practice.

Beckham’s unceremonious exit – not completely official – came on Friday, his 29th birthday, and a few days after his father shared a video on social media highlighting times when Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield didn’t throw passes to the three-time Pro Bowler.

It was a tipping point in the team’s often-unstable relationship with him.

The Browns didn’t appreciate the video or that Beckham didn’t reach out to Mayfield, who said he was wiling to work things out.

Beckham was told not to report to practice for two days as his representation worked with Browns General Manager Andrew Berry on agreeable financial terms for his departure.

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“I don’t think anyone envisioned when the organization traded for Odell three years ago that this would really be the resolution,” Berry said. “It’s unfortunate, but at the same time there are some situations in the NFL where things just don’t quite work out and that’s where we are today.

“Those decisions are incredibly difficult, but at the end of the day it’s a decision that I felt was appropriate for our team.”

Once the sides agree to financial terms – Beckham is owed $8 million this season – Beckham will be waived and can be claimed by any team with enough salary-cap space. If he clears the waiver wire, he’ll be a free agent and can sign anywhere.

“It’s disappointing,” Browns Coach Kevin Stefanski said following Friday’s practice. “Obviously, unfortunate how it all went down, but I wish him well.”

Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett was somewhat shocked by the speed that the situation unfolded.

“It was quicker than anyone expected,” Garrett said. “I wish we got a little bit more communication between upper management and the players, a little bit more knowledge of what was going on, because it seemed just like it happened overnight.

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“Things just like kind of snowballed. Wish we would have just known and that’s the tough part. I feel like that happens a lot in the league where things are just happening to players and we have to react instead of having some communication from the top down.”

One of he NFL’s most talented receivers, Beckham has also been one of its most irksome.

He was acquired in a blockbuster 2019 trade from the New York Giants, who had grown tired of his self-absorbed antics. His arrival on the Browns brought unrealistic expectations in the first season and played a role in the team going 6-10, resulting in another coaching change.

Although he insisted he was happy in Cleveland, where he was reunited with former college teammate and close friend Jarvis Landry, Beckham didn’t seem to like not being in a big market. He reportedly told opponents on the field during pregame warmups to “come get me” in the offseason.

Beckham seemed to fall in line last season under Stefanski, but he never made a strong on-field connection with Mayfield, and their lack of chemistry was a constant topic.

When Beckham went down with his knee injury last October, it appeared to free up Mayfield, who played better without the playmaker and led the Browns to their first playoff appearance in 18 seasons and first postseason win since 1994.

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Beckham worked hard to return from a torn anterior cruciate ligament this season, and there was a time when it looked as if his relationship with Mayfield and the Browns was finally working. However, he was rarely a major part of the game plan – other than to be a decoy – and Beckham was noticeably upset after Sunday’s loss to Pittsburgh when he caught just one pass for 6 yards in a 15-10 loss.

Beckham, who has been playing with a shoulder sprain for the past few weeks, had 17 catches for 232 yards and zero touchdowns in six games this season. He only had two 100-yard games in 29 with Cleveland.

PACKERS: Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers said he sought alternative treatments instead of the NFL-endorsed COVID-19 vaccinations because of an allergy he has to ingredients in two of the FDA-approved shots.

Speaking on SiriusXM’s “Pat McAfee Show,” Rodgers said: “I’m not an anti-vax, flat-earther. I have an allergy to an ingredient that’s in the mRNA vaccines. I found a long-term immunization protocol to protect myself and I’m very proud of the research that went into that.”

Rodgers, who has been tested daily as part of NFL protocols for the unvaccinated, came up positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday. He said he didn’t feel well on Thursday but was much better on Friday.

He can’t rejoin the Packers for 10 days, missing Sunday’s game at Kansas City. Rodgers must have a negative test to return to the team on Nov. 13.

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Rodgers told McAfee he has concerns about potential fertility issues had he taken one of the vaccinations.

In July, three doctors who specialize in reproductive health vouched for the safety of vaccinations for couples who want to have a baby and urged people to seek out their doctors or nurse practitioners with any questions.

Dr. Stephanie Broadwell of Sanford Health Fargo, Dr. Stephanie Foughty of Altru Health Devils Lake and Dr. Ana Tobiaz of Sanford Health Bismarck basically said to get the vaccine.

“I can understand that people are scared, people are nervous,” Broadwell said. “I think sometimes there can be information that can be helpful and some that can be somewhat misleading. I think it’s just really hard to digest all the information that is out there and stories that are filtering through that maybe even come from trusted sources.”

PATRIOTS: Linebacker Matt Judon had to wait two months, but he received something rare this week: an about-face from the NFL.

The league rescinded a $10,300 fine assessed to Judon for a play during New England’s Week 1 loss to Miami. It was levied after he was called for an unnecessary roughness penalty following a scrum along the sideline at the end of a Patriots punt return.

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Judon said at the time that he never got a clear explanation from the referee why he was flagged and planned to appeal. He received word this week that it was successful.

“I guess the good people at the NFL office seen fit that they should give me my money back and I agree with them,” Judon said. “Football is bang-bang and when you kind of get to slow it down where you can actually see it and you can step back and take a very long two-month look at it — they came out with a decision that I like.”

PANTHERS: Coach Matt Rhule said running back Christian McCaffrey has a chance to play Sunday against the New England Patriots if he can make it through practice on Saturday without any setbacks.

Quarterback Sam Darnold (concussion/shoulder) could be active too after being listed as questionable on the injury report Friday.

Rhule said he is “hopeful“ that McCaffrey can play, but indicated the 2019 All-Pro wouldn’t see a full amount of snaps if he’s able to go. McCaffrey has missed the last five games with a hamstring injury and was designated to return from injured reserve earlier this week. He is not yet on the 53-man roster, so he has no injury designation.

“Saturday is typically the day we move around and try to have explosive movements,” Rhule said. “So we will see if he is able to hit full speed. He is obviously in good condition and knows the game plan. So I am hopeful that Christian might play, I really am.”

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McCaffrey had not practiced in three weeks before this week, so Rhule doesn’t want to risk overusing his star player. He said he is happy with how McCaffrey’s backup, Chuba Hubbard, has performed.

GIANTS: Injured running back Saquon Barkley and starting safety Xavier McKinney were taken off the COVID-19 list.

Barkley has missed the past three games because of a sprained ankle sustained on Oct. 10 against Dallas. He will not play Sunday against the Las Vegas Raiders at MetLife Stadium because of the injury.

McKinney, who missed the last two days of practice while in the COVID protocol, practiced fully Friday and is expected to play in the Giants’ final game before their bye week.

Both players were placed on the COVID list Wednesday after twice testing positive. The Giants subsequently found out the testing company was reporting many false positives and started using a more advanced test to confirm for the virus.

CARDINALS: Arizona will be without three assistant coaches for its game against the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday because of COVID-19 protocols.

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Assistant head coach/special teams coordinator Jeff Rodgers, running backs coach James Saxon and assistant offensive line coach Brian Natkin will not travel to the game.

The Cardinals might be short-handed on the field as well. Quarterback Kyler Murray (ankle) and star receiver DeAndre Hopkins (hamstring) didn’t practice for a third straight day on Friday. Both are listed as questionable.

JETS: Safety Marcus Maye will miss the rest of the season because of a torn Achilles tendon.

Maye was injured early in the third quarter of the Jets’ 45-30 loss at Indianapolis on Thursday night on a non-contact play. Tests confirmed the severity of the injury.

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