WR Odell Beckham Jr. (9.10.20)
WR Odell Beckham Jr.:
On how close to full speed he was last year:
“As far as numbers wise, I could not give you a percentage, but I was injured, for sure. I know we all play with nicks and bruises, but it was tough. I do not know a number necessarily.”
On how the lack of live reps in some practices last season impacted his season:
“I do not necessarily know how to answer it. It is just like I always say, you can go out there every day of the week and hit it and go out there Sunday and not hit it. You can go out there every day of the week, not hit and go out there Sunday and hit everything. I can’t really answer that question on how much it affected, but I can say that I am definitely feeling better than last year. I am just thankful that God has put me in a position to where I am feeling better.”
On QB Baker Mayfield’s progress this year:
“He has looked great to me. Like I say, you can always tell on a Sunday better than every day in practice. Being in the league now for six or seven years, learning a new offense, a new staff and new everything is always a challenge in itself. I think everybody here has handled it pretty well, especially with the COVID, the regulations and obviously the interviews through what we are doing right now. I think everybody has handled it pretty well, and I think Baker is ready to have a big year.”
On his previous comments that 2020 was going to be his year and his emotions now that the season starts this week:
“I think it is selfish for me to say that 2020 is going to be my year, and if I would have known three years ago or last year whenever I started saying this that 2020 would have been a year like this, I do not think I would have ever said that. It has been a tough year for all of us emotionally – pandemic, the world that we are living in. I think has been tough on everybody. Now that we are back in the situation and everything is seeming as if it is returning back to normal, I think the best thing that this world could do would be to finish this year strong and just find a way to make it the best that it has ever been. Kind of just having that mindset of just being great. That is just for the world in general. Like I said, I do not know if I would have said that three years ago, knowing what has happened so far, but just making the most out of the rest of this year.”
On if he has a feel for the Browns’ offensive identity this year:
“Just score points. I will go with that. Score points.”
On why he feels better about his connection with Mayfield this season:
“For one, I can run. I can lift my leg up on a table. It is crazy for me to look back and think about kind of just how I made it through the season last year because there were little motions that I could not even do. I could not put my leg up on the table. I could not do simple basic motions, much less go against the best of the best week in and week out. Just being able to run and be healthy, I think it makes it a lot easier for him. Now, this is the second year that we have been with each other. I think we both are just taking strides. Both have been through a lot. Like I have said, the talks I have had with him, I know he is hungry and ready. As far as specific examples, I do not necessarily know if I can give you any. Just an overall feeling of we both want to be great.”
On if he agreed with WR Jarvis Landry’s comments that he is more comfortable and accepting of being in Cleveland this season:
“I do not know about accepting as I do not know if that is the word you want to use, but I am definitely happier just with life in general of where I am. Like I always talk about how you go through certain things in life and etc., and I have kind of talked to you all about that, but I am just in a better place in life.”
On if he has talked to Landry about what they are capable of doing together this season when fully healthy, understanding Landry in particular may not be 100 percent yet:
“I am pretty sure it is just what we dreamed of and what we have always talked about and joked about back when we were 17 years old. ‘We are going to go to the same college. We are going to be on the same NFL team.’ It is crazy how it has happened and this is where we are. I feel like we all wish we had more time in a sense, just to have more time to get ready, have more time to heal and have more time to prepare, but this is where we are so we just keep rolling. I think Jarvis looks great. He has always been a phenomenal player. I do not think we are going to see anything less than phenomenal in my opinion. Just getting towards the game tonight and being able to see how it is going to be instead of just jumping into it – there was no preseason – so being able to watch the first game, I think will give us all a little feeling of what it is going to be like. Other than that, we just keep it rolling.”
On the Ravens secondary:
“There is a reason that this team was 14-2 last year. I know they had hopes of going to the Super Bowl and fell short of that, but this is a very, very good team. The Ravens have always been a good team in my opinion as far as a tough, physical opponent. That is what they bring to the table. Up front, they are physical. In the secondary, they are physical. Linebackers are physical. We definitely have a tough challenge ahead, but I think we are just all looking forward to playing football.”
On where the Browns stand now compared to the end of last season:
“It is tough to say. I guess the only real judge is Sundays. Everything else is neither here nor there. The ultimate tests are always on Sunday. I am looking forward to the season. I feel very good about this team, the staff and everything, and I am looking forward to get playing.”
On if he is not a fan of preseason games and how this year might revolutionize how teams prepare for a season:
“I was only not a fan because of what happened to me in preseason. It is kind of like a cardinal rule around the league, like it is preseason and we are out and we are getting the plays in and we are all keeping each other safe. I do not feel like that was the situation for me. I would sit here and tell you that I am not the biggest fan, but to me, it allows you to see your teammates and the young guys who are coming in, the ones who have an opportunity, the (former NFL WR) Victor Cruz stories and the guys who made a name in preseason and created a career in doing it. I think it has eliminated that opportunity. It has eliminated the opportunity to see some young guys and how they are going play. It is definitely tough as far as building a team, but life is tough and we are always faced with obstacles. It is just kind of about how we overcome it. I do not know what the future is for preseason or how it is going to be for the rest of the time, but I think the hardest thing about it was to not be able to see those young guys and eliminate those opportunities for people to make the teams and provide for their families.”
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