Beckham not certain to play after illness, but he’s with team
CLEVELAND — Browns receiver Odell Beckham Jr. made the trip to Cincinnati for today’s game despite coming down with an illness Friday.
Beckham, who’s played with a groin injury all season, was seen smiling in a team photo getting ready to board the plane Saturday. Pharoah Brown, who also was ill Friday, made the trip as well, a source said.
Both are listed as questionable.
Beckham needs 46 receiving yards to reach 1,000. If he does so, he’ll join Jarvis Landry as 1,000-yard receivers despite injuries that might require surgery in the offseason. Landry has struggled with a hip injury that resulted from a fractured sacrum in the spring.
“We ask a lot of those guys, and they continue to bring it and give it to us every day,” quarterback Baker Mayfield said. “I’m thankful for those guys. Obviously, they both had good years. People can say what they want about Odell’s year, but hopefully, after this week he has over 1,000 yards, we have two guys over 1,000 yards and a couple of Pro Bowlers (in Landry and Nick Chubb).”
Beckham is one of seven Browns who are questionable. The others are Brown, tackle Kendall Lamm (knee), tight end Ricky Seals-Jones, who sat out Wednesday and Thursday with an illness but returned on a limited basis Friday, defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (back), center JC Tretter (knee), and Olivier Vernon (knee).
Kitchens was confident Beckham would do whatever he could to play.
“I think just in general, both (Beckham and Landry) want to be out there for their teammates,” he said. “They’ve done a good job of pushing through it at times and getting out there and competing. Anytime you like to compete, you can overcome a lot.”