As we near the start of NFL Free Agency on March 13, there is sure to be a market for many productive wide receivers that can instantly help teams. With Mike Evans and Gabe Davis already agreeing to deals, it looks like Odell Beckham Jr. is one of the biggest names in the wide receiver free agent market.
While Beckham has dealt with injuries over the past couple of seasons, he has looked like a shell of his former self. Even though it has become obvious that those injuries have hampered his performance, there were still moments in both Los Angeles and Baltimore where we saw that explosiveness and speed from his time in New York. Beckham is coming off of a 35-catch, 565-yard, three-touchdown season with Baltimore. While those numbers are not eye-popping by any means, it seems worth the risk for any team looking for a pass catcher to sign him to a one-year, $10M deal.
With that being said, here are three likely Odell Beckham Jr. free agency destinations.
Odell Beckham Jr. Free Agency Destinations
New York Jets
Last year was quite the roller coaster for the New York Jets. After landing their prize in the offseason in Aaron Rodgers, it looked like the Jets may finally get out of the gutter in the AFC. With Hard Knocks featuring them, hype was at an all-time high. That all came crashing down when Rodgers went down with a torn Achilles on his fourth snap in green and white. Even with one of, if not the best defense in the NFL, the quarterback situation in New York severely limited success. Getting Rodgers back and improving the offensive line will undoubtedly bring the Jets back to relevance, but could adding another pass catcher put the team into the Super Bowl conversation?
Odell Beckham Jr. has been on record saying that he thought he was going to be a Jet in the 2023 offseason. With Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall as superstars in the offense, it appears that signing a reliable vet like Beckham can pay dividends for the team. With Wilson always needing more than one set of eyes on him, OBJ would be likely to see single coverage as the team’s number two receiver. The Jets are in desperate need of a reliable number two receiver, as the team’s second-leading wide receiver last year was Allen Lazard, with 311 yards. No other receiver on the team had more than 230 yards.
It seems likely that with Rodgers returning from injury, the Jets need to stock up on vets, rather than draft a rookie and develop him. If there is any quarterback who can take advantage of what Beckham has left in the tank, it is Rodgers.
San Francisco 49ers
If the San Francisco 49ers do decide to part ways with Brandon Aiyuk, Beckham seems like he would be a good fit to be the fourth option on an offense with Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Deebo Samuel. Obviously, moving from Aiyuk to Beckham would be somewhat of a downgrade based on age and injury history alone, but I am not sure how big of a downgrade it would be. Throughout his career, OBJ has been able to work both the outside and the middle of the field and, with big-bodied pass catchers in Samuel and Kittle, using someone to expose the sideline may be what the 49ers can use to spark a more efficient offense in the playoffs.
Given the money situation surrounding a possible Aiyuk trade, bringing in Odell Beckham Jr. in free agency could be a move to help supplement a major departure. Looking at the free agent class, Calvin Ridley probably costs too much to supplement Aiyuk, but Beckham may be willing to take a smaller deal to keep his desire of winning another Super Bowl alive.
Kansas City Chiefs
It is no secret that the Kansas City Chiefs receivers last season were one of the worst groups in the league to start the year. Dealing with drops all season long, Patrick Mahomes and Andy Reid were looking for any help to just hang onto the ball. Luckily for the Chiefs, Beckham will be available. Leg injuries aside, OBJ still has some of the best hands that the NFL has ever seen. While in Kansas City, Beckham will not need to play a huge role, as eyes are going to be on Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice all season long. This opens the door for another receiver to be a real difference-maker for a Chiefs team that is looking for a three-peat.
The Chiefs somewhat altered their game plan on offense last season, as their run game with Isiah Pacheco was heavily featured. Like I said before, Beckham will probably not be at the top of opposing teams’ scouting reports, so with his incredible footwork and route running, it makes sense that he can beat defenders and get open on 1v1s. Adding a reliable vet to one of the best offenses in the NFL seems like a good option in my mind for a third straight Super Bowl. This is probably the number one destination for Odell Beckham Jr. free agency too if he wants another chance at the Super Bowl.
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