Analysis
6/7/22
4 min read
Assessing the Best Fits for Odell Beckham Jr.
Former Giants, Browns, and most recently Rams WR Odell Beckham Jr. currently remains one of the top free agents available.
OBJ was traded to the Rams during the 2021 NFL season, and recorded 305 yards receiving to go along with 5 touchdowns with LA.
Beckham continued to produce in the playoffs and caught two passes in Super Bowl LVI for 52 yards and a touchdown before tearing his ACL in the second quarter.
While his timetable for a return from injury is still unclear, there are several teams that would benefit from adding OBJ to their WR room for whenever he is able to play again.
Former Coach Marty Mornhinweg says, “The likely teams that would do it would be a team that believes they are one great skill player away from a Super Bowl.”
Here are the teams that should consider signing Odell Beckham Jr.
Green Bay Packers
The Packers are the popular fit for OBJ. Green Bay is always in the mix to add a WR, and that was even the case when they had All-Pro WR Davante Adams. Now that Adams is in Las Vegas there are major question marks when it comes to this WR corps.
Yes, the Packers just drafted Christian Watson (WR, North Dakota St) and Romeo Doubs (WR, Nevada), but rookie WRs are not particularly utilized by Aaron Rodgers. As far as veteran WRs, the Packers have Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb, and Amari Rodgers.
Former GM Mike Tannenbaum thinks Green Bay would benefit from signing OBJ:
"Odell Beckham Jr. signing with Green Bay would help them win for today and then help them develop for tomorrow with Christian Watson. The most catches a rookie receiver has ever had with Aaron Rodgers is 38. While I like Watson a lot, It's going to take him a while coming from the FCS level. Before he got hurt, Beckham was the best player in the Super Bowl. While he isn't as explosive as he once was, he would clearly give them the best opportunity in the short term and then give them the ability to develop Watson for the long term.”
It would make a lot of sense for the Packers to bring in OBJ and have him ready to play in the second half of the 2022 season in what they hope is a playoff run.
Baltimore Ravens
The Baltimore Ravens WR group also lacks a go-to option for their former MVP QB, Lamar Jackson.
Baltimore recently traded away their former number one wide receiver in Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals.
While there is optimism that Rashod Bateman can take that next step, and that Devin Duvernay and Tylan Wallace can be nice secondary options, the reality is that none of these players have proven that they can be as productive as Odell Beckham Jr. is when he is healthy.
If the Ravens want to be able to stretch the field more and allow Lamar Jackson to continue to develop as a passer, it would be very beneficial to bring in OBJ.
New England Patriots
The Patriots have been rumored to have interest in Odell Beckham Jr. for a few years now, and it still makes sense for them to bring him in.
New England traded for WR Devante Parker, who will now be tied to the team until 2024, when he will be an unrestricted free agent. Even with the addition of Parker, you can never have too many options at WR, especially when you have a young QB such as Mac Jones.
The AFC is filled with exceptional QBs, so if you are the Patriots, it only makes sense to continue to add playmakers to your offense to help Mac Jones compete with the rest of the AFC.
Los Angeles Rams
Prior to the injury it made a lot of sense for the Rams to bring back OBJ, but after that uncertainty it remains unclear whether the Rams would look to bring him back. Plus, the Rams signed a 3-year contract with WR Allen Robinson.
But it is still possible that the Rams would look to re-sign OBJ.
Marty Mornhinweg believes that a reunion in LA would be good for both sides:
“He knows and understands that scheme. He knows his teammates. He knows his head coach.”
Mornhinweg adds, “He's not going to be ready to play until midseason at the earliest. Another thing would be the continued rehab with the same, familiar doctors.”
Mornhinweg thinks that there is a benefit to the familiarity that would exist between the Rams and OBJ, in the event that he re-signs.
