BEREA, Ohio — Once it began, I dropped everything and ran.
When Odell Beckham Jr. starts catching passes (in full pads) from Baker Mayfield, just shut up and watch. And that’s exactly what I did. First, it was out routes. Beckham’s dark visor looked down the line at Mayfield.
“Go,” Mayfield shouted. Beckham went. Fans, coaches, media and teammates fell silent. OBJ’s violet grunts (think Serena Williams volleying) echoed with each tactical step.
Five yards. Shoulder juke. Five more, a roar and then a burst the other direction. Suddenly he stops, hips dropped, hands up. A Baker Mayfield rocket smokes him right in the hands. Catch, rip and sprint for six.
A version of that unfolded seven or eight more times as teammates sat behind the hopeful dynamic duo. Outs, deep inside curls and double-move stops filled 10 minutes of practice.
They connected on every pass. There wasn’t a single ball put too far in front or behind OBJ. Both quarterback and receiver were dialed in and it showed. Like duet singers holding down a studio until the hit record is complete, Beckham-Mayfield found its practice tune.
A functional Beckham-Mayfield could be a checkmate. In 2019, Stefon Diggs (then with Minnesota) ranked second in yards per target (12), recorded nearly 1,200 yards and scored six times. Keep in mind, Diggs’s career average yards per target is 8.8 yards. Beckham’s? 8.6.
He can be everything Diggs was in Minnesota, plus more. Because unlike the Vikings, Cleveland has a greater offensive line, better running backs and more dynamic tight ends. Plus, the same play caller.
I understand these are reps versus nobody. And my colleagues don’t expect Beckham to play a single preseason game. Therefore, be patient. Beckham and Mayfield probably won’t look like Diggs and Josh Allen in Week 1. But by October, I’m confident they’ll finally play at superstar-duo status.
As Nicki Minaj once said in her song “Fly” featuring Rihanna, “Yankee Stadium. The Jays and Kanyes.” A Browns fan should remix that.
*Imaginary fan clears throat.
“FirstEnergy Stadium. The Bakers and OBJs.”
Here is what else we learned at Day 8 of Browns camp.
The Browns running game remains dominant
In camp, I tend to focus a lot on perimeter play. It’s easier to judge how corners, safeties and pass catchers do in coverage than it is estimating inside runs. However, sometimes a carry pops and it’s obvious. At Friday practice, Nick Chubb scored a long outside zone run.
His footrace up the left sideline reminded me how great the Browns’ line is. Wyatt Teller and Jack Conklin vacuum-sealed the right side while Chubb won the edge.
Last year, offensive line coach Bill Callahan installed much more than just a zone-blocking scheme. By Week 4 the Browns were gashing teams with gap/power runs, duo blocks, center pin-pulls and basically anything and everything else.
In Year 2 with all five starters and Jedi master Callahan returning, the Browns’ ground dominance will continue. Kareem Hunt and Nick Chubb are two No. 1 running backs. Jedrick Wills Jr. won’t sophomore slump, and Wyatt Teller wasn’t a fluke.
The Browns will once again win games on the ground by holding fourth-quarter leads and draining clock. Yes, Beckham, Donovan Peoples-Jones and Jarvis Landry are feature weapons. But Kevin Stefanski’s most advantageous offense should scare defenses into stopping the run.
Then throw deep.
Another Donovan Peoples-Jones big play
I’ve watched the below play over a dozen times. I cannot figure out if Greedy Williams was trying or not. Was DPJ running full speed? The end zone celebration suggests this rep mattered. But that doesn’t explain all the defensive backs jogging.
I’m not sure. But Peoples-Jones still tracked and snagged a long ball for six, an abnormal feat he’s accomplishing daily. It’s clear he’s competing against Rashard Higgins and KhaDarel Hodge.
How long until he’s on Landry’s heels? @iDreamBillions says now.
Browns playoffs shirts, hats for sale: Here’s where Cleveland Browns fans can order shirts and hats celebrating the team qualifying for the 2020 NFL playoffs.
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Browns playoffs shirts, hats for sale: Here’s where Cleveland Browns fans can order shirts and hats celebrating the team qualifying for the 2020 NFL playoffs.
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