NFL Rumors: Odell Beckham Jr.'s ugly exit wreaked havoc on Baker Mayfield's time in Cleveland

Odell Beckham Jr's breakup with Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns became a massive win for himself but left his quarterback in shambles. At least, that is according to a report by ESPN's Jake Trotter via Bleacher Report. The wide receiver's exit was said to be a "turning point" in the relationship between the quarterback and his teammates.

Around the time of Beckham's exit, his father took to social media to post a video on Instagram of the quarterback repeatedly missing the wide-open wide receiver. An unnamed teammate was asked about the video and the player took it as an opportunity to take a dig at his quarterback.

"Why would I watch the video? I see it every day in practice."

After the wide receiver's exit in mid-November, the team would go on to win just three more games, per Pro Football Reference. In addition to the loss of Beckham, the team suffered a plethora of injuries, including one to Baker Mayfield, who cut his season a game short to get surgery and begin his rehabilitation.

At the end of the season, Mayfield and the Browns would enter an eerie silence, which broke when the team announced they were trading for Deshaun Watson. The trade effectively knocked the quarterback out of the starting lineup and prompted him to ask for a trade away from the franchise. Cleveland has yet to oblige and the player is now stuck in purgatory.

Baker Mayfield's career

Houston Texans v Cleveland Browns

When Mayfield was drafted first overall in the 2018 NFL Draft, the Browns were in a terrible position. Cleveland had come off a 1-31 run over the previous two seasons. After his rookie season, the team had a level of hope not seen in decades. In his rookie season, the quarterback went 6-7 as the starter, giving the team a big jump.

But Mayfield wasn't perfect. After throwing for 27 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 2018, the quarterback followed a breakout rookie year with a sophomore slump. In 2019, he threw for 22 touchdowns and 21 interceptions. Knowing that he needed to do better, he turned it around in 2020, having the best year of his career to date.

In 2020, he threw for 26 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He went 11-5 as the starter. The Browns made the playoffs for the first time since 2002 and defeated their rivals the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Wild Card round. It was a new peak for the Browns and their quarterback. But once again, he followed up this high with a low.

In 2021, the quarterback threw for 17 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. He posted a 6-8 record, leaving the Browns, who were considered a Super Bowl contender at the start of the season, disappointed. With Watson now in the picture, where will Mayfield be suiting up in 2022?