Browns trying not to let Odell Beckham drama wreck postseason push

CLEVELAND — Odell Beckham Jr. gave each of his Browns teammates a new pair of his signature Nike sneakers on Monday.

It’s unclear if they’re Christmas presents or going-away gifts.

Beckham’s gesture could not have been more perfectly timed from a personal public relations standpoint. It came amid reports over the past two days that the star wide receiver is unhappy in Cleveland, frustrated with his lack of production and at odds with the team’s coaching staff.

One report even said Beckham has gone as far as telling opposing players and coaches during games to “come get me” in the offseason.

On Monday, Browns first-year coach Freddie Kitchens, whose job title maybe should include ringmaster — or ring leader — for this strange, swerving, circus-like season in Cleveland, said he has no problems with Beckham, and he’s not convinced he wants out.

“Did Odell say that?” Kitchens said. “OK, case closed then. Odell did not say it. Odell has not told me anything remotely dealing with that. Until I hear something from Odell, I’m not going to comment. Odell and my relationship is fine. Odell and Adam’s (receivers coach Adam Henry) relationship is fine.

“But I can only tell you what I think, and what I’ve seen from Odell, and what I’ve seen from Odell is nothing like the reports indicate. Sorry.”

Like his coach, Browns center JC Tretter feels Beckham has fit in and is buying into the system. That’s not to say there haven’t been growing pains in Cleveland’s offense, which has not found a consistent rhythm despite an abundance of talent. Tretter said Beckham has “been a model citizen” with the Browns and believes he has team-oriented goals.

“He can be frustrated that he wants to do more and wants to get more opportunities, but that doesn’t always mean it’s a shot at anybody or it’s a negative for the team,” Tretter said. “That’s just kind of the balance of playing a team sport with kind of an individual aspect to it where he wants to do whatever he can to help the team win, and usually that is catching balls and making plays.

“From what I’ve spoke with Odell about, he cares most about winning.”

The latest Beckham sideshow — and quarterback Baker Mayfield’s stunning criticism of the team’s medical staff — soured Sunday’s 27-19 win over the Cincinnati Bengals that kept the Browns (6-7) in the playoff race, albeit in a precarious outside position.

After the game, Mayfield came to Beckham’s defense by accusing the team’s trainers and doctors of mishandling the wide receiver’s nagging injury. Beckham has been dealing for months with a sports hernia that likely will require offseason surgery. Mayfield, whose mouth has gotten him into trouble before, exacerbated an already delicate situation when he said the injury “wasn’t handled the right way in our training room.”

Mayfield quickly walked back his biting remarks with a pseudo apology on Twitter, saying he wasn’t trying to “throw our medical staff under the bus.”

But the damage was done. Kind of like when Browns star defensive end Myles Garrett swung a helmet and clobbered Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph.

Kitchens said the team is not considering shutting down Beckham for the final three games, and he talked to Mayfield about his outspokenness.

“We don’t want him addressing other players’ injuries, in that manner especially,” said Kitchens. “Odell and our training staff have done a tremendous job of getting Odell to the game each and every week. It’s been addressed and he (Mayfield) understands how to handle things like that moving forward.”