Baker Mayfield calls out Browns’ medical staff over handling of Odell Beckham’s injury

The Bengals may have lost to the Browns on Sunday, but you can feel some tension is boiling over in Cleveland.

Apparently, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has been dealing with an injury that is either a groin injury or sports hernia since this training camp, and now that the news has come to light quarterback Baker Mayfield doesn’t sound pleased with the way Beckham’s injury was handled.

“Yeah, I’d say that wasn’t handled right,’’ Mayfield said according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. “He’s not able to run as well as he should be able to, as well as he knows, and that’s frustrating for him.

“You can sense that’s some of his frustration where that comes from. Wasn’t handled the right way in our training room. So it is what it is. His ‘not 100 percent’ is still good enough for us.’’

Mayfield has been openly critical of any aspect of the Browns. He has called out players, coaches and now the medical staff. It is the double edged sword that is Mayfield. He is very open and wears his emotions on his sleeve, which is part of the thing that makes him such a fan favorite.

It is hard to argue with the results though. Clearly, Cleveland hoped Beckham could play through this injury effectively, but he really hasn’t been that guy to carry this offense. It clearly came to a head when Beckham had to miss time after taking an awkward hit. What does Beckham have to say about the injury? He isn’t even certain that the injury is as serious as a sports hernia.

“I don’t really know,’’ he said. “You’ve got to ask the doctors if you get a chance to interview them. I don’t really know what to tell you.

“I really don’t run until Friday, then I come out here and do what I can. At this point it is what it is. There’s nothing to really do, just finish out the season, try and be 1-0, try to get to these playoffs. Still all the same goals regardless of what’s going on.’’

It seems like Beckham would just like to move on from all the noise surrounding him these past couple of weeks. I’m sure Mayfield giving the media a soundbite to run with about it doesn’t help that effort, though.

Beckham also wanted to move on from the idea that he supposedly wanted out of Cleveland this offseason.

“I’m used to (the rumors),’’ he said. “I’ve been dealing with this for three or four years. It’s the same thing that’s going on, not anything that I can (do about it).’’

You’d probably like a more concrete answer as a Browns’ fan, but this honestly seems like white noise that shouldn’t be taken too seriously until something concrete happens. After all, Bengals have seen first hand with the the A.J. Green drama created by the national media how quickly these things can snowball without there even being smoke to follow.

It will be interesting how much more criticizing Mayfield does if Cleveland keeps struggling, and if the Beckham rumors keep getting louder.