Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Odell Beckham Jr. is spending his first offseason with the Browns recovering.
Odell Beckham Jr. is spending his first offseason with the Browns recovering.
New York Giants RB Saquon Barkley was among the NFLPA’s top 15 selling players league-wide.
What determines a player’s popularity? How many fans buy their jerseys is one way to tell. On the NFLPA’s recent list of top selling players, there’s one current New York Giant and one former one.
The top 15 among all officially licensed product sold:
Beckham’s change of teams form the Giants to the Cleveland Browns surely drove up his sales, while Barkley was a red-hot commodity coming off his stellar rookie season.
How are these numbers arrived at?
The NFLPA Top Player Sales list is the only verified ranking of all officially licensed, NFL player-identified merchandise sold from online and traditional retail outlets as reported by more than 75 NFLPA licensees, such as Fanatics, Outerstuff, Nike, Fathead, FOCO, Funko, Wincraft, and more. NFLPA-licensed product categories include video games; men’s, women’s and youth game jerseys; T-shirts and hoodies; backpacks; wall decals; pennants; collectible figurines; matted and framed photos; bobbleheads; plush; drinkware; and pet products, among others. NFLPA licensees have generated record retail sales in each of the last five years, exceeding $1.6 billion during the 2018 season.
Giants rookie quarterback Daniel Jones is No. 27 on the list. Jason Witten, who left the game for year in 2018 for the broadcast booth only to return this season, is No. 40. Rob Gronkowski retired before the season and clocked in at No. 48.
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An arrest warrant for ex-New York Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. has been withdrawn, but the NFL is apparently still monitoring his situation.
The NFL is trying its best to avoid disciplining Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. for his latest episode of bizarre behavior, perhaps in hopes that if they don’t address it, the situation might just go away. Or resolve itself.
There is nothing in the handbook covering slapping a security guard’s backside in public. OBJ seems to find new ways to re-write the code of conduct and this time, the act was so ridiculously childish, there’s no precedent.
Hence, let’s close our eyes, hope it goes away and maybe he won’t do anything like this again. Don’t count on it.
A league spokesman tells PFT regarding whether Beckham faces any scrutiny from the NFL, “We have been monitoring the situation but will decline further comment.”
Beckham’s lawyer has informed ESPN.com that the arrest warrant arising from a slap to the butt of a Superdome security officer has been withdrawn. However, the absence of criminal charges does not insulate a player from scrutiny under the NFL’s Personal Conduct Policy. Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott received a six-game suspension despite no arrest or charges, and free-agent receiver Antonio Brown spent most of 2019 on de facto unpaid suspension as the league investigates him for potential punishment, even though he also has not been arrested or charged.
The inappropriate touching of the security guard is just one half of the Beckham story. Of course, there is still the handing out of cash to LSU players after their National Championship victory over Clemson last week.
More from PFT:
The distribution of cash by Beckham to LSU players provides a separate cause for concern. If the NCAA directs LSU to disassociate itself from Beckham, the NFL may feel compelled to act against Beckham in some way, given the league’s constant efforts to keep content the custodians of its free farm system.
So, the NFL might not be able to turn the blind eye for much longer after all…
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An officer won’t press charges for the butt-slap by Odell Beckham Jr., according to a published report.
It appears as if Odell Beckham Jr. will find his way out of trouble for one of the incidents he was involved in after LSU won the College Football Playoff Championship Monday in the Superdome.
NOLA.com is reporting the 48-year-old officer signed an affadavit stating he did not want to press charges against the Cleveland Browns wide receiver, who slapped him on the butt in the locker room following LSU’s victory over Clemson.
The paper reports the New Orleans police depart could move to rescind the warrant for Beckham’s arrest, on the grounds that the officer victimized in the case has essentially said he does not believe his case is a criminal matter. But it remains to be seen whether the agency takes that step.
Beckham also created a stir on the sidelines by handing out wads of cash to LSU players after the victory. That created controversy when the school first indicated it was “fake” money only to have to backtrack and admit it was actual cash. How that end of the Beckham saga plays out with LSU administration and players remains to be seen.
Former Giants WR Victor Cruz came to the defense of his friend Odell Beckham Jr., claiming people are just picking on him at this point.
Not everyone is on Odell Beckham Jr.’s case these days. Former New York Giants teammate Victor Cruz is coming to his beleaguered friend’s defense.
Authorities issued an arrest warrant for Beckham after footage showed him slapping a Superdome security guard on the backside during the LSU national championship locker room celebration surfaced on social media.
Cruz is one of the few celebrities speaking out on behalf of the former Giants man-child who just can’t seem to stay out of the limelight for all the wrong reasons.
“At this point, it feels like they’re just picking on him ’cause he is who he is,” the former NY Giants star told us in NYC. “Just let him live!”
. . .
“His alma mater just won the national championship. Let him have some fun!”
Cruz added … “I think he didn’t do nothing wrong … I think he’s good.”
He also claims the security guard is “corny” for pursuing legal action in the first place.
I’m sure Beckham’s intentions were all in fun, but when is this childlike behavior going to end? Surely no one in their right mind are second-guessing the Giants from tradings him now.
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Adam Henry has coaching stints with LSU, the Giants, and Cleveland on his resume, and looks to be nearing a deal to coach the Cowboys’ WRs.
Mike McCarthy may have found his target to be the new coach for Dak Prescott’s targets. According to multiple sources as of Friday evening, the Cowboys are closing in on a deal to make Adam Henry the new wide receivers coach in Dallas, replacing Sanjay Lal.
Adam Henry, who spent last season with the Cleveland Browns, is expected to be the Cowboys receivers coach, according to a source. Henry talked with the Cowboys this week about the opening to replace Sanjay Lal, who was under contract for two more… https://t.co/bNSv4yOBQ1
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) January 17, 2020
Henry spent the past two seasons in the same role in Cleveland, where he worked with Browns wideouts Odell Beckham Jr. and Jarvis Landry. The 47-year-old Henry had previously been Beckham’s position coach in New York in 2016, and the wide receivers coach for both Beckham and Landry during their final two years at LSU.
Coincidentally, Henry also has history with the man he is expected to replace. Henry and Lal were on staff together in Oakland from 2007 through 2011. Both served as offensive quality control coaches in 2007-2008. In 2009, Henry was named tight ends coach, while Lal was promoted to lead the wide receiver group. Both held those roles with the Raiders until the conclusion of the 2011 season.
Under Henry’s watch with the Browns, Landry enjoyed a career-high season in 2019 with 1,174 receiving yards. Beckham also topped 1,000 receiving yards in Cleveland in 2019; his best season in number of receptions came in 2016 as a Giant, also with Henry as his position coach.
Rumors of Beckham joining the Cowboys have circulated for some time, dating back to his tenure in New York. A newly-hired wide receiver coach who has been with him at three previous stops won’t do anything to help quiet those whispers now with Cowboys fans who still aren’t sold on free agent Amari Cooper as a long-term solution for the club.
10 NFL teams with new looks for 2020
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently ripped the New York Giants and GM Dave Gettleman for the Odell Beckham Jr. and Leonard Williams trades.
The New York Giants’ decision to trade a third- and a possible fourth-round pick to the New York Jets last October in exchange for defensive lineman Leonard Williams was met with mixed reactions from both camps.
Jet fans reacted with glee as they not only rid themselves of an underachieving player but got some much-needed draft capital in return.
Giant fans were puzzled why general manager Dave Gettleman would make such a trade for Williams, an impending free agent who they could simply wait until after the season to sign and in the process keep their picks.
ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently ranked the 30 most impactful trades of the 2019 season. The Williams trade made the cut at No. 29. By contrast, the most impactful deal of the season was the Tennessee Titans acquisition of quarterback Ryan Tannehill from the Miami Dolphins for a sixth round pick and cash.
From Barnwell:
Giants trade: 2020 third-round pick, 2021 conditional pick
Jets trade: DE Leonard WilliamsI wrote about how this trade didn’t make sense at the time, with the 2-6 Giants dealing a third-round pick and a conditional fourth- or fifth-round pick for the privilege of paying Williams $4 million before free agency. Williams, who has perennially posted plenty of knockdowns without ever converting those figures to sacks, posted 11 knockdowns and just a half-sack in his time with the Giants.
What mattered here was the revelation of just how far the Giants are from understanding what is broken with their franchise. Making this trade was foolish. General manager Dave Gettleman justifying the trade was downright depressing. Just weeks before his infamous “computer guys” speech, Gettleman argued that the Giants would get a third-round compensatory pick if they moved on from Williams after the season, which would require Williams to get a contract north of $15 million per season (he won’t) and the Giants to sit out free agency (they won’t). Williams is a fine defensive lineman, but the Giants continue to have a warped view of reality and their current status within the NFL.
Impact grade: D
The trade is a D in terms of impact because it was made between two teams that have a long way to go to get back into contention. It is a D for the Giants simply because it was imprudent from a economical and asset allocation sense. The Jets made out like bandits because they got definitive capital for Williams up front. They would likely have gotten a compensatory pick in return for losing Williams in free agency. Now they know that third-round pick is No. 68 overall and when that pick is on the board Giant fans will have no choice but to look away and cringe.
Additionally, Barnwell also ripped the Giants for trading Beckham.
The Giants lost a star in OBJ, and while you could make the argument that adding a handful of would-be starters for their franchise wide receiver would make some sense, general manager Dave Gettleman continued to disappoint. He signed Golden Tate, a bizarre move for a rebuilding team that already had a slot receiver in Sterling Shepard and a “move” tight end in Evan Engram. Peppers became the box safety the Giants lost when they let Landon Collins leave in free agency. No. 17 pick Dexter Lawrence looked to be a promising big body and run-thumper, but he is serving as the replacement for Damon Harrison, who also was jettisoned by Gettleman.
It’s important to note that Harrison is mulling retirement due to his body breaking down. We must also assume this was written before OBJ’s shenanigans at the National Championship Game between LSU and Clemson.
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Burrow commented on the Odell Beckham fiasco after LSU’s win.
Presumed future Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is already causing some problems for the Cleveland Browns.
Not that Burow is at fault here. Browns wideout Odell Beckham Jr. was part of the postgame festivities after Burrow’s LSU Tigers won the national title game and was caught on camera handing out wads of cash to players.
Speaking on the matter later, Burrow confirmed Beckham was indeed passing out real cash to players.
LSU then had to issue a statement on the matter because, as it should go without saying, there are certain rules about cash and collegiate athletes and this crosses some sort of line:
Statement from #LSU on Odell-cash gate pic.twitter.com/dLWGy1BDyk
— Ross Dellenger (@RossDellenger) January 15, 2020
Of course, Beckham’s cash issues are the least of his worries now that there’s a warrant out for his arrest after a video caught him slapping an officier on the butt.
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An arrest warrant is our for Odell Beckham Jr. after he slapped a security guard’s buttocks after LSU’s win against Clemson.
An arrest warrant is our for Odell Beckham Jr. after he slapped a security guard’s buttocks after LSU’s win against Clemson.
