The March blockbuster trade that brought Odell Beckham Jr. and Olivier Vernon to Cleveland also reunited Beckham with his former LSU teammate Jarvis Landry. But there's a third figure in their past who's been in Cleveland even longer than either of the wideouts: their former position coach.
Adam Henry was hired as Browns receivers coach in January 2018, likely without the knowledge he'd be welcoming not one, but both of the incredibly talented wideouts who starred under his tutelage at LSU. Sixteen months later, he's again coaching the pair with all three members of the Tiger Triumvirate trading purple and gold for brown and orange.
That qualifies them as three people who matter, according to head coach Freddie Kitchens' criteria. It also creates quite the lofty expectations for the position group, which possesses more star power than it has in decades.
"It could be pretty special, but again, we've got a long way to go," Henry told reporters Thursday in his first media session since the Beckham trade. "It's something that you look forward to and potentially on paper, it's something that's good. But just getting the rapport, the me to you, things of that nature. We've got a quarterback that can throw it with great leadership, and with Freddie's mind and play-calling we'll be in a good situation."
Check out photos from the ninth day of OTA practices
Defensive tackle Trevon Coley (93) and Offensive tackle Drew Forbes (79) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (98) and Cornerback Robert Jackson (34) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (65) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Adam Henry during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Cornerback T.J. Carrie (38) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilks during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Center Kyle Kalis (68) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (98) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Linebacker Adarius Taylor (57) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilks during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Safety Tigie Sankoh (40) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Linebacker Christian Kirksey (58) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Cornerback Robert Jackson (34) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Larry Jackson during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Running Back Kareem Hunt (27) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Stump Mitchell during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Linebacker Genard Avery (55) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive end Chris Smith (50) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Cornerback Tavierre Thomas (20) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive end Olivier Vernon (54) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson (98) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive end Chad Thomas (92) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive end Chad Thomas (92) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive Coordinator Steve Wilks during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Wide receiver D.J. Montgomery (83) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Kicker Greg Joseph (17) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Wide receiver Jaelen Strong (10) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Mike Priefer during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive end Olivier Vernon (54) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Offensive tackle Greg Robinson (78) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi (65) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Running Back Nick Chubb (24) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Linebacker Genard Avery (55) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Safety Jermaine Whitehead (35) and Joe Whitt during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Center JC Tretter (64) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Linebacker Joe Schobert (53) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Tight end Pharaoh Brown (86) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive end Myles Garrett (95) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive end Olivier Vernon (54) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Joe Whitt during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Linebacker Christian Kirksey (58) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Cornerback Greedy Williams (26) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Tight end Demetrius Harris (88) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Cornerback Phillip Gaines (28) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Cornerback Robert Jackson (34) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive end Anthony Zettel (97) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Defensive end Jarrell Owens (62) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Cornerback Lenzy Pipkins (41) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Kicker Austin Seibert (2) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Running Back Nick Chubb (24) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Linebacker Joe Schobert (53) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Willie Harvey during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Wide Receiver Ishmael Hyman (16) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Tight end Demetrius Harris (88) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Wide Receiver Ishmael Hyman (16) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Wide Receiver Ishmael Hyman (16) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6) and Wide receiver Rashard Higgins (81) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
Linebacker Anthony Stubbs (90) and Punter Jamie Gillan (7) during the ninth practice of OTAs on May 30, 2019.
The process of bringing them together and building such a rapport began with voluntary minicamp and OTAs. Beckham and Landry were on the field together for exactly one of those days, with Landry spending the majority of the period on the sidelines as a precaution, and the former Giants star opting to train on his own, as he's done during every offseason as a professional. It elicited a Thursday response from Kitchens that could be interpreted in a number of ways.
When asked what Beckham has missed, Kitchens replied "a lot." When pressed to elaborate, he was equally as short, saying "the offense."
Earlier, Kitchens explained how the team completed an installation of the base of the offense and defense during OTAs. He was pleased with the work accomplished, which is important for a team with a new coaching staff. One might surmise that as a result, Beckham would arrive for mandatory minicamp at a disadvantage.
Henry, though, has a lengthy history with Beckham, having joined the LSU staff after Landry and Beckham's rookie seasons. The two stayed in frequent contact beyond their time in Baton Rouge, with Henry saying Thursday that Beckham has "a good football brain" and is "always asking football questions." He knows better than to be too concerned with Beckham's absence.
"He's going to work," Henry said of Beckham. "He's a worker, he's a guy who works hard, he's always in condition, you've got to save him from himself when he's practicing because he'll just go and go and go. He's like the young person with a ball. If there's a ball being thrown or kicked, he wants it. He wants to play. Even (in the) course of practice, offense may not be going, defense is going, he's doing something. He's a busybody in that way."
Check out photos from the first day of OTA practices
Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39) and Wide receiver Derrick Willies (84)
Cornerback Terrance Mitchell (39)
Defensive end Wyatt Ray (61)
Wide receiver Antonio Callaway (11)
Wide receiver Rashard Higgins (81)
Offensive guard Joel Bitonio (75)
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13)
Defensive end Olivier Vernon (54)
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) and Head Coach Freddie Kitchens
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13)
Running Back Kareem Hunt (27)
Wide receiver D.J. Montgomery (83)
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13)
Head Coach Freddie Kitchens
Running Back Dontrell Hilliard (25)
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Tight end David Njoku (85)
Tight end Stephen Carlson (89)
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13)
Linebacker Mack Wilson (51)
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13)
Linebacker Adarius Taylor (57)
Linebacker Sione Takitaki (44)
Linebacker Anthony Stubbs (90)
Wide Receiver Ishmael Hyman (16)
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13)
Quarterback Baker Mayfield (6)
Center JC Tretter (64)
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13)
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) and wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80)
Wide receiver Antonio Callaway (11)
Wide receiver Derrick Willies (84)
Henry's presence, in fact, could serve as a reason for optimism more than anything else. He's already been able to help Beckham with his adjustment to a new city, market and fan base, a process that has left Beckham feeling "very comfortable now," according to Henry.
He thinks the combination of the reunited best friends (Beckham and Landry) and quarterback Baker Mayfield should produce plenty of success for the Browns and for Cleveland's newest star, who Henry thinks has his best football ahead of him. He also believes Beckham and Cleveland are a perfect match.
"I think it'll be great for him because the fans are tremendous here," Henry said. "The fans are great, they're receptive to him and they're going to let him be him and accept him for who he is and I believe this is a great market for him and a great place for him."
If Beckham has to confirm this opinion, he won't have to look far for an honest answer. Two of his closest confidants will be right next to him at work.
