The statement issued after the trade that brought receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to Cleveland had Beckham saying all the right things. His own words were slightly less effusive, calling the trade “bittersweet.” A recent social media post sent a more complicated message.
“I love you all so much, for the ones that follow and support I thank u all for that,” Beckham wrote Tuesday in an Instagram post that he then deleted, via 92.3 The Fan in Cleveland. “I’m takin an emotional, mental, physical/blah blah blah vacation. I appreciate the love honestly but at this moment for the next couple of days I’m goin dark. I won’t be around, phone is gone, with all due respect, please don’t text/call/FaceTime unless it’s of the utmost importance. I really need some time to vibe and just get away, process, reevaluate some of the things in my life, as much has changed for me recently. I’m doin amazing thanks for askin!!! Im really just tryin to get everything together and gather all my thoughts so I can take the next steps in my life to be the very very very best me moving forward . God bless u all and again thanks for the love and support, I will see u soon. . . . Always LUVVVVV.”
After the trade went down, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that Beckham (who has five years, $74 million left on his current contract) wants a new deal. Also, former teammate Saquon Barkley said Tuesday that he spoke to Beckham immediately after the trade and “I don’t think he was really happy about it.”
The deleted post could be interpreted as confirming that, or at least indicating that one week removed from the trade Beckham isn’t sure about his feelings on it. Or maybe he’s trying to figure out how to go about asking for a new deal without being perceived a distraction.
Regardless, the notion that Beckham unconditionally has embraced this dramatic change in his football life has eroded in the time since the trade happened, and it’s worth paying attention to everything he says and does as the offseason program approaches, including whether and to what extent he participates in the offseason program.