RADIO
The Odell Beckham Jr. sweepstakes begin again soon! Although no match was made during the 2022 season, multiple teams are still interested in procuring the 30-year-old’s services for 2023.
Beckham won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2014. He became well-known on the field for his spectacular one-handed catches and off the field for the flashy attire he wore while making appearances on the New York social scene.
In each of his first three seasons as a Giant, he surpassed 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns and made the All-Pro second team twice.
Beckham’s Post-Giants Career
In 2019, he was traded to an ascending Browns team, reuniting with his LSU teammate Jarvis Landry. But things quickly fell apart after an initial 1,000-yard season. In his next season, he tore his ACL after seven games. In 2021, he clashed with QB Baker Mayfield, and he was released halfway through the season and signed by the Los Angeles Rams.
Playing alongside Cooper Kupp, Beckham didn’t get a boatload of targets, but he did make the most of them, scoring five touchdowns on 27 catches with LA. His production ramped up in the playoffs, as he made 21 catches for 288 yards in four games, including 52 yards and a crucial touchdown in the first half of the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI win before leaving with a torn ACL.
Multiple teams, including the Rams, Giants, and Dallas Cowboys considered signing the diva playmaker in anticipation of playoff runs. Nothing materialized because of concerns about the status of his rehab and disagreements about contract terms. Beckham has been posting videos of his workouts, and it looks like he is close to being back.
Now that teams are getting ready for the 2023 offseason, will the three-time Pro Bowler be a hot commodity?
Concerns About Beckham’s Health and Contract
Even if Beckham is fully healthy, he will turn 31 this season, and he has a long injury history in addition to his two ACL tears. In his five years with the Giants, he missed an average of 4.2 games each season with quad bruises, hamstring strains, ankle sprains, and fractures. Beckham wants a long-term deal that many teams would be reluctant to give him.
He has a way of creating distractions. His father publicly criticized Baker Mayfield for missing open targets. During his in-season free agency tour, he was escorted off an American Airlines flight and argued with passengers after a contentious situation escalated. He tweeted that the Rams lowballed him. He seems to think he is more valuable than NFL teams think he is.
But every team knows what Beckham can still do and was doing as recently as one year ago in February. And Beckham, who is suing Nike for $20 million for alleged breach of contract, wants to get what he can out of his remaining few years of youth.
So which teams could be interested in signing Beckham?
Los Angeles Rams' Possible Interest
The Rams’ signing of Allen Robinson II as their No. 2 WR didn’t work out. He only ended up with 339 yards, fewer than his final year in Chicago. Coach Sean McVay likes Beckham and suggested the Rams could have offered him a larger salary if negotiations got started.
But Robinson and Cooper Kupp are both 29 years old. The Rams do not look like Super Bowl contenders next season. Wouldn’t the Rams prefer a younger receiver as they rebuild?
Dallas Cowboys
Jerry Jones and his son Stephen admitted the Cowboys didn’t put together an effective receiver corps for the 2022 season. They said they would revisit talks with Beckham this offseason. Returning Michael Gallup to the role of No. 3 WR, where he was effective in 2021, and giving Dak Prescott another alpha to throw to could help rejuvenate the offense as head coach Mike McCarthy takes over playcalling duties.
New York Giants
The Giants had one of the worst receiving corps in the league, and it only got worse as injuries put Sterling Shepard (ACL) and Wan’Dale Robinson (knee) on the IR early in the season.
Daniel Jones showed flashes, but he will not have a chance to truly prove himself without a legitimate No. 1 WR to throw to. The addition of Beckham would pay dividends for a team that just won its first playoff game in 11 years. Beckham’s socialite persona would fit in better in N.Y. than some of the cities on this list.
New England Patriots
The Patriots had a “very real” interest in signing Beckham in 2021—but Beckham didn’t have an interest in them. The Rams had a much better passing-oriented offense in 2021. Beckham wanted to make plays and win games, and it paid off for him.
From the Patriots' point of view, they have a QB in Mac Jones who throws timing passes. They are already lacking an alpha WR, and their best receiver, Jakobi Meyers is a free agent heading into the offseason. However, we have already seen friction develop between Beckham and a rough young signal caller before, so Beckham might not be the best for Jones’ development.
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