Odell Beckham Jr. never felt like himself last season, the wide receiver's first with the Browns after a March trade from the New York Giants.

A core muscle injury caused hip and groin problems for Beckham beginning in training camp, but he played all 16 games before undergoing surgery Jan. 21.

Last week during Super Bowl festivities in Miami, Beckham told Complex.com he's driven to get back on track this year when asked a question about quarterback Baker Mayfield needing "to be fixed" heading into the 2020 season.

"When people say they need to fix me or they need to fix this person, I don't believe in fixing anybody," said Beckham, whose 74 catches for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns last year fell short of the elite production he expects from himself. "Improving somebody is definitely more the word that I would say.

"I think myself as well had a slice of humble pie this year, because I was hurt all year. I couldn't really say I was hurt. I didn't want to make it seem like I'm having an excuse, but I really couldn't do what I wanted. I just couldn't move the way that I wanted to, so I think that's why I'm more motivated now than ever.

"This is probably day nine or 10 after surgery and I'm just starting to move around and just mentally get ready for the process all over again, and just put my best foot forward. So I don't think there's really changing anybody, but I definitely think you'll see a more focused, improved version of himself. Not what someone else wants him to be. And myself as well next year."

Also in the question-and-answer session Complex.com published Monday, Beckham revealed new Browns coach Kevin Stefanski impressed him when they met Jan. 23 at team headquarters in Berea.

Beckham said he believes Stefanski, Minnesota's offensive coordinator last season, plans to use him and Pro Bowl receiver Jarvis Landry similarly to Vikings receivers Stefon Diggs and Adam Thielen.

"These are people who I've watched closely on their film," Beckham said, "and just seeing the things that [Stefanski] did and meeting him and seeing where his mind's at for Jarvis and myself of how this will all work out, I have a good feeling about it, you know?

"I'm hoping that it's a tremendous season for us. We were so close last year, but yet so far away, and it shows you how being so close can land you from 10-6 to 6-10, you know? It's really a game of inches. So it's just little things we need to correct. I'm excited about the opportunity, excited to work on it."

Return to Cleveland

Drew Petzing will be back in familiar territory with the Browns, but he'll also be tackling the challenge of an unfamiliar role.

On Monday, the Browns formally announced Petzing is their new tight ends coach. He entered the NFL as a football operations intern with the Browns in 2013, and now he'll guide a position he's never previously coached.

Stefanski developed faith in Petzing's versatility while they worked together with the Vikings the past six seasons.

"I think he's one of the smartest coaches I've been around," Stefanski said in a news release. "I say that because he coached defense in college, he's moved to the offensive side of the ball, been in the running backs room, the wide receivers room, the quarterbacks room. I think that type of breadth of experience is really important as you're developing as a young coach. I think anybody who has been around him sees somebody that has a great knowledge of the game."

A former Middlebury College defensive back, Petzing became an offensive assistant for the Vikings in 2014, then assistant wide receivers coach in 2016, assistant quarterbacks coach in 2017 and wide receivers coach in 2019.

"I know what it's like to move to different positions. I know how important that is and how valuable that is," Stefanski said. "Sometimes we get stuck in a rut and we say, I'm only going to coach this position. I think the versatility he's shown wearing a couple different hats will only help him as he becomes a better coach."

Petzing said in the news release he'll call experienced tight end coaches to help him shape his vision for the position.

"Tight ends are huge," Petzing said. "Obviously, every position out there is critical, but when youre going to be a run, hard play-action type of team that can do a lot of different things, those guys are the focal point of that."

Petzing got to know former Browns offensive coordinator Norv Turner and former Browns wide receivers coach Scott Turner in 2013 during his internship with the Browns. The next year, he followed the father-son duo to Minnesota.

"Essentially [the Browns] were looking for interns that they felt were hungry, wanted to get into the NFL and were willing to do anything, which was definitely what I was looking to do," Petzing said. "I actually came out of my interview and I got snowed in here for three days. So basically I got stuck and they had to hire me.

"Being here in 2013, seeing how the organization works, seeing how passionate the fan base is, that type of stuff makes it easy to make a decision like this. On top of that, having a great relationship with Kevin, really believing in him and his process and what hes about, I think those two things among other things were really deciding factors for me."

One day my man @bakermayfield will lead his team to a #SuperBowl ! I saw that light in his eyes as we reminisced about my bling things call the rings @dallascowboys https://t.co/ACrfzKdUrr

Playmaker's prediction

As Mayfield conducted interviews in Miami on behalf of Fox Sports, he talked to Hall of Fame wide receiver Michael Irvin about his favorite Super Bowl memory with the Dallas Cowboys.

Irvin came away from the conversation thinking the Browns QB is destined to appear in the big game.

"One day my man @bakermayfield will lead his team to a #SuperBowl!" Irvin tweeted Monday. "I saw that light in his eyes as we reminisced about my bling things call the rings."

Extra points

The Browns waived center Lo Falemaka, who has yet to appear in an NFL game.

Andrew Berry's introductory news conference as Browns general manager is scheduled for Wednesday.

Nate Ulrich can be reached at nulrich@thebeaconjournal.com. Read his Browns coverage at http://www.beaconjournal.com/browns. Follow him on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/ByNateUlrich and on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/abj.sports.

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Browns notebook: Odell Beckham Jr. says hes more motivated than ever after playing through injury, having surgery - Akron Beacon Journal