Free-agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. should soon land with a team now that the three-time Pro Bowler has been fully cleared after suffering a torn ACL last season.
OBJ has been linked to multiple contending teams in the recent past, including both his former New York Giants squad and the division-rival Dallas Cowboys. It also appears that the Buffalo Bills are in on Beckham Jr.
According to this note from ESPN’s Adam Schefter, OBJ will begin his free-agent tour with the New York Giants on Thursday. He’ll then follow that up by meeting with the Buffalo Bills in Western New York on Friday and the Dallas Cowboys on Monday.
Most recently, OBJ has been linked more to the Cowboys than any other team. Quarterback Dak Prescott continues to recruit him to Big D while owner Jerry Jones has not been quiet about his interest in Beckham.
There’s also another rather interesting backdrop here. OBJ was kicked off a flight from Florida this past weekend after authorities indicated he was in and out of consciousness and didn’t wear a seat belt. The receiver’s attorney has pushed back against that narrative. Meanwhile, the Cowboys have indicated that said incident has no impact on their interest in Beckham.
Related: Sportsnaut’s updated NFL offense rankings
Three likely Odell Beckham Jr. landing spots and best potential fits
All three of these teams being linked to OBJ are at least playoff contenders. Buffalo finds itself at 8-3 on the season as does Dallas. Meanwhile, the Giants are 7-4 and have lost two consecutive games. Let’s check in on where he might fit with each of these three squads.
Dallas Cowboys
While CeeDee Lamb continues to play at a high level, Dallas has had trouble filling the void left by the trade of Amari Cooper last offseason. Recently-extended wide receiver Michael Gallup has caught a mere 24 passes in eight games since recovering from a torn ACL himself.
Dallas’ second-leading receiver right now is tight end Dalton Schultz. Slot guy Noah Brown comes in at third with 28 catches. Obviously, OBJ would be a stellar WR2 option behind Lamb. As of right now, it could all come down to finances for the ‘Boys.
- Odell Beckham Jr. stats (career): 531 receptions, 7,367 yards, 56 TD
Buffalo Bills
Stefon Diggs is one of the top receivers in the NFL today. That’s not even in question. Gabe Davis (33 receptions, 650 yards, 5 TD) continues to be a big-play threat for Josh Allen in Buffalo’s offense.
Outside of that, there’s not a whole lot to write home about in Western New York. Isaiah McKenzie has caught 30 passes in 10 games, but is averaging just 10.5 yards per catch. Free-agent signing Jamison Crowder has been limited to four games due to injury. As a legit Super Bowl contender, Buffalo makes sense for Odell Beckham. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s best friends with current Bills edge rusher Von Miller.
New York Giants
OBJ starred with the Giants from 2014-18 after they made him a first-round pick from LSU. While his tenure with New York ended in a drama-filled mannner, it must be noted that Beckham’s issues were with the Giants former front office brass. There’s no hard feelings here.
On the field, Beckham would be a tremendous fit for a surprising Giants team. One of the biggest issues for Daniel Jones and Co. has been a lack of consistent wide receiver production. Richie James leads all Giants receivers with 28 catches in 11 games. Rookie Wan’Dale Robinson is second with 23 receptions. That’s it. That’s the extent of Giants wide receiver production through 12 weeks. OBJ would change that big time.