OBJ missing camp IS a deal because Cleveland Browns teammates are on field

Odell Beckham Jr. missing the Cleveland Browns minicamp IS a deal about as the Cleveland Browns embark on a new season filled with changes.

ESPN Cleveland analyst Tony Grossi authored an open letter to Odell Beckham Jr. that had many fans of the Cleveland Browns annoyed. The longtime scribe asked where the Pro Bowl receiver was as his new team commenced voluntary minicamp in Berea.

Beckham threw gasoline on the fire when he replied, “Training, Thanks for your concern (smiley face emoji).” in a Twitter reply to Grossi’s post plugging the story.

Much ado about nothing, or worthy of waiting a lot of keystrokes and breath over?

It IS something, and that might not what Browns’ fans want to hear. It may be a blip on the roadmap of a season that hopefully ends in February of 2020, but when the Browns themselves don’t have a good reason for Beckham not being there, then you’ve got to wonder, just what is, “The rest of the story.”

A group think on the grandest scale took place on Twitter, with a lot fans defending Beckham, with the argument being he’s earned the right to train on his own. Grossi’s been hammered, estimating negative feedback (80 percent) far outweighs the positive (20 percent), via TheLandonDemand.com.

Beckham’s absence doesn’t have anything to do with getting ready for the season. He’s an elite athlete who knows how to get himself physically ready.

The problem some have is that the team hasn’t done jack, yet. They’re a 7-8-1 team and putting a player above the others only sows the seeds of disaster. Browns fans should know this. The dumpster fire that was Johnny Manziel took a long time to cool.

And while Beckham is a Pro Bowl talent and arguably the best receiver in the league when healthy, he’s also a player who has missed 16 games due to injury the past two seasons.

The real issue here is that the Browns are actually taking the field this week with a first-year head coach, a new staff and quarterback Baker Mayfield going into a crucial second season. This, at the very least, makes his absence interesting.

And speaking of that rookie head coach, Freddie Kitchens is on the record talking up the importance of this part of the season and how crucial this time of year is to building up the team.

John Dorsey recently echoed those statements when asked about Beckham, via Cleveland Browns.com.

"“Where I stand is that I think any time that you have, as an organization, you have a first-year coaching staff and you are installing  new offenses and defenses, it is good to be here; but let’s remember, the CBA created this to where it is a voluntary situation…”"

Even Dorsey had to catch himself, so he wouldn’t alienate the reciever he just dealt a first-round pick for.

No one wants to fringe on OBJ’s time. Outsiders such as myself have no idea of his personal comings and goings. It wasn’t a big deal when he left the weight lifting portion of the early offseason schedule after he was introduced to the media. But the trade was a month ago. We’re trying to win a Super Bowl. Let’s go!

Jarvis Landry isn’t there after welcoming the birth of a new baby. But Myles Garrett  is practicing this week, So is Denzel Ward. Of course Mayfield is present. So why not be there?

This story will go by the wayside in the next couple of days as the team welcomes new names to the franchise.

And while this voluntary minicamp crept up on everyone mostly because everyone was absent, you better believe OBJ’s attendance will be at the top of media’s list when OTA’s commence May 14-16.