4 Cleveland Browns who will benefit most from Odell Beckham release

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Cleveland Browns Baker Mayfield (Photo by Nick Cammett/Getty Images) /

1. Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield

Coming up with No. 1 here is a no-brainer. We saw Cleveland Browns QB Baker Mayfield without Odell Beckham a season ago and the team won without their star receiver, qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since the 2002 season.

Without Beckham, Mayfield completed 66 percent of his passes, compared to 60 percent with him. He also threw 20 touchdown passes and four interceptions without him and 12 touchdowns and seven picks without him.

Mayfield also owns a passer rating of 103 without OBJ and 86 with him.

It’s interesting that Mayfield will go to Cincinnati, where his season turned around last season after Beckham suffered his ACL injury on a play where the quarterback threw an interception.

Mayfield went onto throw five scores that game and the offense was never again a problem as the Browns roared to the playoffs.

The pressure has never been greater on Mayfield than now, and a win will quiet things down significantly…until next week, at least.

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