In what will be a key point not only on Odell Beckham Jr.‘s rehab timeline but perhaps in this year’s Super Bowl chase as well, the standout wide receiver is expected to be fully cleared for football work soon. Around nine months after suffering his second ACL tear, Beckham will be ready to practice for his new team. Who will that team be?
A free agent of this caliber is rarely available at this point in the season. Whichever team signs Beckham will see its skill-position corps receive a stretch-run jolt. However, injury concerns and Beckham’s desire for a multiyear contract complicate this unique chase. Beckham’s Browns stay also showed how adding him can backfire in a poor fit, injecting some risk into his 2022 equation. That said, teams pursuing him will be doing so based off his quick-impact Rams stay. The Rams needed OBJ to reach Super Bowl LVI. Despite the steady run of injuries that date back to his Giants days, that will be what drives a signing.
Rams connections overshadowed every other team’s Beckham ties for most of the offseason. Everyone from Les Snead to Sean McVay to Kevin Demoff expressed optimism Beckham would return to Los Angeles. With the Rams 3-5 and ranking 31st offensively, they do not appear the favorites any longer. The Rams ($4.2MM in cap space) have received little from their skill positions beyond Cooper Kupp; Beckham would boost the sinking contender’s cause. This franchise has also made a habit of landing big fish.
If he is eyeing a multiyear commitment, going back to an offense he knows well would make sense. Then again, Beckham expressed disappointment in the Rams’ previous offer. Although Sean McVay said last month the team had not made its best proposal yet, will such an offer come given the defending Super Bowl champions’ current state?
The Cowboys ($6.9MM in cap space) may have taken over as the OBJ favorites. Dallas cornerstones like Micah Parsons and Ezekiel Elliott are recruiting him. More importantly, Jerry Jones appears to be as well. In discussing OBJ’s market with NFL personnel, Pro Football Focus’ Doug Kyed came away with the Cowboys as the frontrunners here.
Beckham, 30, would slot in alongside CeeDee Lamb as the Cowboys’ top weapons. Dallas’ auxiliary troops have not shown too much this season. Of course, Dak Prescott‘s injury contributed to the limited production from Dalton Schultz and Michael Gallup. And the Cowboys just signed a player coming off a December ACL tear (Gallup). While they appear ready to gamble on Beckham, that partnership will mean Lamb’s complementary pieces will each be fresh off ACL rehab. But the Cowboys may have their best Super Bowl opportunity since 2016, when they claimed the NFC’s No. 1 seed. The team may be on its way to the No. 5 seed this year, but a dominant pass rush has changed its equation compared to recent years.
The team viewed as the second-likeliest to add Beckham, per Kyed, the Bills are not as well-versed in attracting free agents. But Josh Allen‘s ascent has changed the franchise’s trajectory. Von Miller making the atypical decision to choose Buffalo over L.A. could bring Beckham to follow suit. Miller has been banging this drum for months. Earlier this season, the Bills were not viewed as a key player in this market. With Jamison Crowder (fractured ankle) out of the picture and the Bills encountering more defensive injuries, has that changed?
Beckham is believed to prefer a warm-weather city, per Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telgram, who adds the eight-year veteran would change his mind for “the right offer” (Twitter link). The Bills rarely have a market advantage over their competition, so needing to navigate that battle is not exactly new.
The three-time Pro Bowler also mentioned the Packers and a Giants reunion as possibilities. Neither of these would check the warm-weather box, but the Packers were in on Beckham in 2021 and have been mentioned as a suitor intermittently for the past several months. But Green Bay has dropped to 3-6. The NFL’s smallest-market franchise is also now going year to year with Aaron Rodgers. That status affected Davante Adams‘ interest in staying with the Packers. Green Bay needs Beckham more than Dallas, Buffalo or L.A., with Adams’ departure crushing the team’s receiving corps. Considering the Packers’ modern history with big-ticket free agents, Rodgers’ post-2022 plans, and the team’s 2022 performance, this might be a tough sell.
Giants GM Joe Schoen said Beckham would be considered, but he did not meet with the Jerry Reese-era draftee when he visited following Sterling Shepard‘s injury. Like just about every team Beckham is considering, the Giants looked into Brandin Cooks and Jerry Jeudy before the trade deadline. The Giants may need an impact receiver more than the Packers, who at least roster Allen Lazard. No Giants wideout has totaled more than 250 yards. Their leading receiver, Darius Slayton, spent the offseason in Brian Daboll‘s doghouse.
Big Blue came into this season on a rebuilding track. The team was not viewed as likely to consider trading even a Day 2 pick for a wideout, and it traded a talented but injury-prone receiver (Kadarius Toney). This is not the regime that traded Beckham to Cleveland, but would Schoen be willing to sign the injury-prone vet beyond 2022?
The Vikings and Chiefs were also mentioned as Beckham suitors, but each made moves ahead of the deadline. Each team gave up Day 2 capital — for T.J. Hockenson and Toney, respectively — for weaponry already. Kansas City looked into Cooks as well and was in the OBJ mix last year. Given the Chiefs’ arms race with the Bills, they probably cannot be fully ruled out.
Vote in PFR’s latest poll and weigh in with your thoughts on this rare in-season market in the comments section.
He’s playing to win at this point. I say Buffalo or KC. Go with the best QB right?
he’s 30 years old and got a ring last season.
prob headed to the highest bidder. imo
I thought of that. But wouldn’t you want a chance at a second ring? I would. He should have a fat bank and still will get handsomely paid for the balance of the season.
KC doesn’t have the bank he wants long term. It would have to be going their left tackle. I say Dallas or Buffalo. Whoever gives more bank. He feels he could push either over the top.
It was never going to be GB. If he didn’t go there last year when they were winning, AND both Rodgers and Adams were lobbying for him (nevermind the FO’s LONG history of avoiding wr’s like the plague) why was there ever any belief it would happen this year?
Poll: Who cares?
Why comment?
Why comment also?
I glanced the article in fear this guy was being sought by my team, nothing could would the excitement more.
I agree b00giem@n, this is another petulant me-first athlete that needs to fluff his ego with the publicized pursuit.
Polish hammer if that is the case and I agree with you he then needs to sign with Jerra. They can compete and compliment each other on being media ho’s
Nobody cares about a band wagon injured prone WR who hasn’t did nothing since he left the giants!!!
Nothing = made 56 million and got a ring.
That’s long
Last 21games since end of 2019 season he has 856yards 8td and being on a team for half a season and got a ring…
You must be a bat area fan. Im from Aptos. Anyways since 2019 i made about 300k and the only ring i got is around my toilet. My point is no matter what drama he has caused or no matter how selfish he is, teams want him. He has a choice. Thats a nice luxury to have.
yes because the Giants have been so prestigious
Lamar Jackson seems like he could use a little help in Baltimore, too.
Yeah. Odell will love being under- and overthrown by 10 yards
They already have Desean Jackson, don’t need another me-first brittle floater to play part time.
He’ll go to the team that offers him a multi year deal. Of the teams listed here, the Cowboys with there all in one owner/GM/MM Jerry Jones is the only one that may bite here?
I’m not sure about that. I get the feeling he’s a hired gun now, and will only sign 1 year (or rest-of-year) deals from now on, so he can pick whatever team he feels will win it all and he can claim credit for getting them over the hump.
You mean the team that throws the most money at him? At the end of the day OBJ wins in any situation.
@MPE9, you could be correct. I thought I read a recent article on this site saying he was looking for a multi year deal. I may be mistaken. Regardless, whether he wants it or not, I picture him as a yr in and yr out hired gun as well.
An exception could be Cowboy Owner Jones and his Marketing Manager Jones convincing General Manager Jones to go multi year. Possibly but doubtful. Jerry would likely go one year as well.
Jerry Jones has bigger things on his mind — he gave $500,000 to the successful re-election campaign of Texas’ hard-right Gov. Abbott.
As far as football personnel go, them Cowboys don’t put up with no divas.
Because the biggest diva in the Cowboys facility is the GM
ya I’d say Cowboys.. maybe Jets as a dark horse.. Packers have the biggest need, but I wouldn’t hold my breathe on that one
The GM that signs OBJ will be the same guy that thought investing in a 1973 Ford Pinto (with exploding gas tank) was a great idea.
When Beckham escaped from Cleveland to sign with the Rams, he arranged to have his entire Rams salary paid in bitcoin. Crypto has crashed big-time and a well-known crypto outfit has just collapsed. If Beckham didn’t cash out, he’s underwater as far as his finances go.
That’s the only reason that diva WR with 2 bad knees wants to get back into the NFL.
Escaped? You make it sound like he had no part in that circus.
Yeah…it couldn’t be bc he loves the game or wants to win or feels like he still has something to prove…def not any of those reasons.
Having your dad going after your QB screams unhinged peewee parent, not NFL parent. Again, he contributed to that circus.
Let us know when this prima donna actually works out with someone.
No 49ers in poll when they are reported to be first or second likeliest destination. That is weird.
I could see that. They seem all in.
Lol the cowboys
OBJ hasn’t been good in 5 years and he’s never healthy. Wherever he goes will have little impact. This is like Julio Jones going to TB. He’s old, ineffective and always hurt. The story will be a lot bigger than the actual results on the field.
Agreed. And actually, the story won’t even be a story when he actually gets on the field. Right now is the pinnacle of the media hype.
Pray like hell the Vikings don’t sign him…..they need a big run stuffer on the interior DL first and foremost.
Loved OBJ when he was on the Giants and was sad to see him go. However, he’s now on the wrong side of 30, coming off 2 ACL surgeries to the same knee within 18 months and history has shown that a player with 2 ACL surgeries to the same knee is never the same. Much less within 18 months. It’s going to take a while for him to regain his quickness, speed and cutting ability so any team that signs him for this year might as well throw away their money. As for next year with the amount of work they do to replace the ACL, he’ll have swelling, pain, and arthritis problems to deal with so his work load will be limited and monitored. I doubt he’ll be available for a full schedule of games from this point onward.
Either way I wish him luck.
Seahawks? Just kidding….but surprised some homer hasn’t said it yet. It wont be the Rams or Packers though. I can almost certainly predict that.
@ Sweet James – Don’t count out the Rams because the NFC West is still up for grabs. If Odell is remotely healthy, he can make a huge difference in the Rams offensive production. Plus he loves living in LA. Someone needs to sign him this week so he can get practicing and start learning the playbook. If it is LA, he’ll be well ahead since he played for them last year and already knows their plays. If LA doesn’t have enough cap space, someone on the team will be willing to restructure their contract to fit him in as they know the value he’ll bring to the team.
Highest bidder bc, if I’m correct, didn’t he rake a financial beating getting mixed up in crypto?