We've had a few days to catch our breath since the start of the new league year saw some big-time changes in Cleveland. Let's take a step outside of Northeast Ohio to see how the national media reacted to the moves made by Browns general manager John Dorsey in the last week.
"With apologies to Antonio Brown and the Oakland Raiders, the Browns have just pulled off the year's biggest trade. ... The addition of Beckham gives the Browns the most exciting offense in the AFC North (especially now that Brown is gone from Pittsburgh) and one of the most intriguing collections of offensive players outside of Kansas City."
"The Odell Beckham trade will understandably get all the attention, but what the Browns did on defense should not be ignored. They gave Sheldon Richardson the long-term deal he craved for so long. ... It couldn't be a better situation for Richardson to avoid double teams next to Myles Garrett, Larry Ogunjobi and Olivier Vernon. Emmanuel Ogbah could be the best third defensive end in the league. New defensive coordinator Steve Wilks has a chance to rebuild his coaching stock quickly after his miserable year in Arizona and those sky-high expectations in Cleveland will absolutely be warranted, in large part because of the defense."
"It's a stunner of a deal and, frankly, an incredible steal for the Browns. They lose a potential stud and former first-round pick in terms of Peppers but their offense is suddenly LOADED. ... This is suddenly a filthy offense the Browns are trotting out onto the field as they hope to contend for the division title."
Take a look at a selection of photos of new Browns wideout Odell Beckham Jr., including ones from his time with new teammate Jarvis Landry back when they both attended LSU.
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) celebrates a touchdown catch during a week 12 NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns on November 27, 2016 in Cleveland. (Evan Pinkus via AP)
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) and Cleveland Browns' Baker Mayfield (6) greet each other after a preseason NFL football game Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018, in East Rutherford, N.J. The Browns won 20-10. (AP Photo/Adam Hunger)
Cleveland Browns defensive back Damarious Randall (23) hugs New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) after an NFL preseason football game on Thursday, Aug. 9, 2018 in East Rutherford, NJ. (NFL Photos via AP)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry (14) and New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) hugs at the end an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 14, 2015, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Giants defeated the Dolphins 31-24. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham, left, and Cleveland Browns inside linebacker Christian Kirksey, right, meet on the field during practice before an NFL football game, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
OUT OF CAMERA FILE - New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham makes a one-handed catch during NFL football training camp, Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017, in East Rutherford, N.J. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry (14) and New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) exchange jerseys at the end an NFL football game, Monday, Dec. 14, 2015, in Miami Gardens, Fla. The Giants defeated the Dolphins 31-24. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
FILE - In this Nov. 23, 2014, file photo New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) makes a one-handed catch for a touchdown against Dallas Cowboys cornerback Brandon Carr (39) in the second quarter of an NFL football game in East Rutherford, N.J. Beckham grabbed The Associated Press NFL Offensive Rookie Of The Year award for 2014. (AP Photo/Kathy Willens, File)
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham runs the ball in the second half of an NFL football game against the Cleveland Browns, Sunday, Nov. 27, 2016, in Cleveland. (AP Photo/Ron Schwane)
Miami Dolphins wide receiver Jarvis Landry (14), New York Giants wide receivers coach Adam Henry and New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham (13) following a preseason week 1 NFL football game against the Miami Dolphins on August 12, 2016 in East Rutherford, NJ. (Evan Pinkus via AP)
FILE - In this Dec. 2, 2018, file photo, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. gestures prior to the team's NFL football game against the Chicago Bears in East Rutherford, N.J. Two people familiar with the blockbuster trade say the Cleveland Browns have agreed to acquire Beckham from the Giants. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, File)
FILE - In this Nov. 17, 2012, file phot, LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham (3) returns a punt 89-yards for a touchdown in the second half of an NCAA college football game against Mississippi in Baton Rouge, La. Beckham was selected in the first round, 12th overall, by the New York Giants in the NFL draft on Thursday, May 8, 2014. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham (3) runs past Furman safety Adekunle AK Olusanya (28) during the second half of the NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Oct, 26, 2013. LSU won 48-16. (AP Photo/Jonathan Bachman)
LSU wide receiver Odell Beckham (33) and Jarvis Landry(80) react to an LSU touchdown during the second half of the Southeastern Conference championship NCAA college football game against Georgia, Saturday, Dec. 3, 2011, in Atlanta. LSU won 42-10. (AP Photo/John Bazemore)
FILE - In this Sept. 14, 2013, file photo, LSU wide receiver Jarvis Landry (80) celebrates his touchdown reception with wide receiver Odell Beckham (3) in front of Kent State cornerback Malcom Pannell (2) during the first half of an NCAA college football game in Baton Rouge, La. Beckham and Landry combined for more than 2,300 yards and 18 touchdowns receiving for LSU last season. Now the best of friends are about to join the NFL, where they'll likely have to find their way without each other. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
FILE - In this Oct. 1, 2011, file photo, LSU wide receivers Odell Beckham Jr. (33) and Jarvis Landry (80) celebrate after Beckham scored a touchdown against Kentucky during an NCAA college basketball game in Baton Rouge, La. Beckham and Landry combined for more than 2,300 yards and 18 touchdowns receiving for LSU last season. Now the best of friends are about to join the NFL, where they'll likely have to find their way without each other. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert, File)
"Suddenly, the Browns look as if they have one of the deepest skill-position groups in the league. ... This is the official end of the Browns' rebuilding period. For the first time in a decade, pressure will be on them to win regularly."
"Armed with a hill of draft picks and more cash than a handful of minor nations, (Browns general manager John) Dorsey has overseen an accelerated roster rebuild that turned the Browns from the biggest laughingstock in sports to a team now viewed as a Super Bowl threat. Typing that sentence still feels pulled from a separate reality, a sliding-doors otherworld where all the ugliness Browns fans endured has been replaced by a surging hope for tomorrow -- and today. ... The low-cost Beckham trade was a masterstroke that now gives the Browns the juiciest receiving corps in the AFC. The same could be said of their defensive front after Dorsey acquired pass rusher Olivier Vernon from the Giants before inking free-agent defensive lineman Sheldon Richardson to pair with starry Myles Garrett and the underrated Larry Ogunjobi."
"The Browns are now the AFC North's sexiest team and odds-on division favorites -- and no, Hell hasn't frozen over and pigs still don't fly. This club has simply, and quickly, laid an appealing foundation built on personality, pomp and, most importantly, a lot of talent."
"The trade definitively signals that the Browns -- just a year removed from a winless season in 2017 -- are legitimate contenders for a playoff berth, if not a Super Bowl appearance."
