Folks, it’s been nearly three years since the trade that broke the internet took place where the Giants dealt Odell Beckham Jr. to the Cleveland Browns. The day that trade happened was a monumental moment for both franchises.
It signified to most Giants fans that Dave Gettleman had absolutely no plan for this team and no idea what he was doing. For Browns fans, this trade gave the organization a hope that only Baker Mayfield’s complete ineptitude could crush.
For those who don’t remember how the trade played out, it broke down like this:
Giants receive: 2019 First Round Pick (Dexter Lawrence), 2019 Third Round Pick (Oshane Ximines), and Jabrill Peppers
Browns receive: Odell Beckham Jr.
So with that in mind, let’s examine how this trade worked out for each team involved.
How the Trade Worked Out for the Browns
To put it lightly, this trade worked out terribly for the Cleveland Browns. Beckham was often injured and when he was healthy he was not effectively used. Baker Mayfield’s subpar play nearly drove Beckham out of the league. If the Browns had a time machine, they’d draft Josh Allen over Baker Mayfield. If they had a second time machine, they’d have kept their picks and players that they traded for Beckham.
How the Trade Worked Out for the Giants
Contrary to popular belief, this trade didn’t work out well for the Giants. The Giants traded a franchise icon away and essentially received a two-down defensive tackle in Dexter Lawrence, a safety who is going to leave for free in free agency in Jabrill Peppers, and a complete waste of a draft pick in Oshane Ximines.
If the Giants drafted better and took a player who would have more of an impact than Lawrence and Ximines did then they would have absolutely won the deal. But the Giants were so poorly run under Dave Gettleman that they couldn’t take a haul of three good assets and make them work.
So who won the trade?
After reading this, you’re probably wondering who won the trade. Plot twist: The Los Angeles Rams did. The Super Bowl bound Rams signed Beckham for free after Beckham was wrongfully cut from the Cleveland Browns. Beckham had a great end to the regular season and has been stellar in the playoffs. In the NFC Championship game, Beckham had 9 catches for 113 yards. The Rams are not in the Super Bowl this season without Odell Beckham.
So good for the Rams for reviving Odell Beckam’s career. He’s set to be a free agent this offseason and he should get a decent amount of money on the open market. Dave Gettleman should be in prison for what he did to the Giants.