The Giants Probably Won the Odell Beckham Trade With the Browns and We Can't Even Believe it

We were all shocked when the New York Giants pulled the trigger on trading star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. last year ahead of free agency. It was suprising because nobody thought Beckham Jr. would actually be part of the rebuild in Cleveland, but also because New York didn't get a whole lot in return for OBJ and Olivier Vernon.

Well, it's just over a year later, and now we're all stunned to admit that the G-Men almost certainly won that trade. The Browns only forked over Jabrill Peppers and a pair of 2019 draft picks in exchange for Beckham and Vernon, but the Giants have still made the most of their end of the deal, as crazy as it sounds.

One of those draft picks was the 17th overall selection in 2019, which New York used on defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence. The other was a third-rounder, and they used it to select linebacker Oshane Ximines. Lawrence filled in gracefully for Damon Harrison on the defensive line and has a high ceiing, while Ximines was one of the more underrated defensive rookies last season. As for Peppers, the 24-year-old had his most productive year despite missing five games. A versatile athlete, he continues to show plenty of upside.

The Browns, on the other hand, probably regret this trade enitrely. Vernon made a career-low 10 appearances in 2019 and wasn't as active in the trenches. Beckham recorded his fifth 1,000-yard season, but scored just four times. Now, rumors are swirling that Cleveland is shopping him.

It's not like the Giants had a better season than the Browns last year, but it's clear that New York is in much better shape long-term. Lawrence and Ximines filled much-needed holes on their defense, and the Giants have another top-five pick in this year's draft. For New York, it's only up from here.

If only Cleveland could definitively say the same.