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In a surprising move, the Cleveland Browns' wide receiver, Odell Beckham Jr, an NFL player synonymous with social media, deactivated his Instagram account.
Beckham Jr. made famous for his propensity to haul in astonishing one-handed catches, has over 14 million followers on Instagram and is the NFL's most-followed star on social media.
Using white font on a simple black backdrop, Beckham Jr. announced he would be leaving the platform on Monday, writing:
“I’ll be back soon,”
(pre-empted by a peace sign and an earth emoji).
The NFL star's Twitter account is still active, but the star hasn't posted anything since last week, leading to speculation about which roster the 3x Pro Bowler will appear on come September.
Is there a new team on the horizon for Odell Beckham Jr.?
When asked about whether he felt the Browns would trade Beckham Jr during the offseason, NFL Network insider Ian Rapoport stated:
"There is a very real possibility"
As yet, most news has been to the contrary:
Browns coach Kevin Stefanski seems sold on the idea of Odell Beckham Jr. staying in Cleveland
During a recent radio interview with ESPN's Keyshawn Johnson, Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski was asked about the likelihood of Cleveland retaining big-earning receivers Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry on the roster.
The 2020 Coach of the Year replied:
“I think we can, yeah. I think you don’t want to be so dogmatic about it and say, ‘All right. We have to have this number of receivers and this number of tight ends and this running back.’ I think you go with what you have and you make sure that you’re putting yourself in position to field a competitive roster for a bunch of years moving forward."
Stefanski continued:
“So, yeah, I think we’re in a good spot. The easy part to say is, ‘Hey, just give us more players. Give us three more great players on the offensive side, and give us three players on the defensive side, and we’re going to spend this amount on each guy.’ I think we have a plan. We’ll follow through with that plan. But ultimately as coaches, we’ll make it work with whatever we go to. And I say that because sometimes you have a season, I’ve been a part of some teams in the past where you had four great receivers, so you molded your offense to that, or you had three great tight ends, and you molded your offense to that. So that’s our job as coaches to take what we have on our roster and make sure we’re maximizing everybody’s talents.”
Stefanski seems as though he expects to see Beckham Jr on the roster come autumn, but of course, it's always hard to know when coaches are simply being diplomatic.
Any news coming from the Odell Beckham Jr. camp regarding a future trade?
Beckham Jr. hasn't spoken out publicly or even insinuated he wants a move. The former Giant seems entirely focused on the rehabilitation of his torn ACL, an injury that put an end to his 2020 campaign.
Before injury derailed his season, Beckham Jr. looked to be enjoying his football again. Sharp and in-sync with QB Baker Mayfield, the receiver could have been on for his best year as a Brown: 319-yards and three TDs by the end of the play in week-6 (plus, one rushing TD) is impressive football! It was sad to see him carted off vs. the Bengals in week-7.
Beckham Jr. even responded to his trade own rumors on a fan’s tweet earlier this month, writing:
“It’s a Cold War! Skins thick tho, im just workin to be the very best I possibly can on that field next year! To the supporters! I’m workin … love u all.”
Perhaps Beckham Jr. is sold on Stefanski's new-look Browns team, or perhaps he feels he has unfinished business following the injury disappointment of 2020. Either way, the famously outspoken former New York Giant hasn't so much as insinuated that he wants a move; at least not publicly.
Of course, there is always a chance that Beckham Jr. could be traded -- never say never in the NFL. But it certainly seems more likely that he's simply taking a break from social media for some other -- as yet unknown -- reason.
Odell Beckham Jr. Instagram earnings:
The Browns WR makes an astonishing $58,699 per post on Instagram, so it's highly unlikely he'll be away for long.
