For reference, OBJ is the eighth highest paid receiver on a per year basis while also being the eighth rated WR by PFF over the course of his career, and is in his age prime. The injury could change that, but the contract is in line with his production as a WR1.
Those "over the course of his career" numbers are only that high because of the first three years of his career, where he outperformed everything he's done since then. What I really care about is how he's performed more recently, and especially for the Browns. And in that regard, he was 53rd last year. This year, he wasn't in the top 25 before the injury. Now maybe it's because of him, maybe it's because of Baker, maybe it's because of a very run-heavy offense. Probably some combination. But regardless of
why, if he's the 8th highest paid WR, then he's clearly getting paid more than his performance
with the Browns warrants, because he isn't close to producing like the 8th best WR here.
Now then add into that the injury. This year is obviously shot, and he's unlikely to be 100% for all of next season either. So odds are he very likely isn't going to be worth the 8th highest salary
for the Browns next year either. That may -- or may not -- be different with another team, which is why another team may see him as more valuable on their roster than he is to ours..
I understand you are of the position that a WR1 isn't a position to pay a high premium on.
How do you understand something I never said?
That isn't my position at all. Again, whether it is because of Odell himself, Baker, or the scheme/playcalling, OBJ hasn't produced like a high-end No.1 since he's been here. If he had been putting up numbers like Keenan Allen, for example, I'd have no issue paying him because that would indicate that we're running a lot of offense through him successfully. We'd be getting production commensurate with the salary.
But OBJ is not producing like that here, and that's all I'm saying. I also think it would be overly-optimistic to assume that -- with the same QB and offensive scheme -- a post-ACL surgery OBJ is going to leap back into producing top 8 PFF numbers here in Cleveland when he couldn't crack the top 25 prior to that injury. It's
possible...but unlikely.
Again, it's not that I think he's a bum, or that we need to get rid of him for reasons of chemistry, or even that it doesn't make sense for the Browns to have a "No. 1" WR., etc.. I'm not trashing the guy. It is just a bottom-line
monetary issue. Considering the very real holes we have on the defense, and bills coming due for guys like Ward, Chubb, Teller, and Mayfield on offense, we cannot afford to pay 8th best WR in the league money to a guy who isn't producing numbers to justify that salary. We just need that money
more elsewhere on the roster.