The same could pretty much be said for every team in the NFL. With the New York Giants looking to potentially trade star receiver Odell Beckham Jr., it’s not a surprise that a ton of other teams are interested in his services.
However, there’s only a select few who could make a real play for the embattled Pro Bowl pass catcher. As we’ve seen, that already includes the up-and-coming Los Angeles Rams.
We can now add their NFC West counterparts, the San Francisco 49ers, to the mix.
“Very much in the same proactive mode as the Rams, trying to build a top offense around a young play-calling head coach,” CBS Sports NFL insider Jason La Canfora reported Friday. “I continue to hear San Francisco is monitoring this thing closely, has real interest, and this could shape up as a very interested NFC West arms race.”
In no way should this be a surprise. While active this offseason, the 49ers decided against adding a receiver in free agency. Instead, head coach Kyle Shanahan wants a specific type of receiver to team up with the recently re-signed Jimmy Garoppolo. Based on the success we saw from Julio Jones during Shanahan’s days in Atlanta, OBJ would seem to fit that definition.
After adding multiple free agents and handing Garoppolo what was then the richest contract in NFL history, San Francisco still has $46-plus million in cap room. It also boasts the No. 9 overall pick in next month’s draft as well as four total picks in the first three rounds.
The idea here would be to present the Giants with an offer Los Angeles can’t match. In turn, San Francisco would add one of the game’s best offensive weapons while keeping him away from the division-rival Rams.