As we approach NFL free agency, there’s one big name available right now who has actually been on the open market for over a year. Three-time Pro Bowl receiver Odell Beckham Jr. finally appears healthy after tearing the ACL in his left knee during Super Bowl LVI in February 2022.
Beckham’s name was also going around late last season as contenders looked to add one more piece ahead of their playoff runs. For whatever reason, OBJ never inked a contract.
Now as all 32 teams look to fill needs, with plenty of cash to spend, Beckham is expected to have plenty of suitors once again, with a signing expected in the next few weeks, if not days.
With Beckham seemingly back to 100%, the next question becomes where and how much he may sign for. According to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Beckham is still targeting a price of $20 million per season on his next contract. This would make OBJ one of the highest-paid receivers in football.
Yet, coming off another ACL injury, the second surgery on his left knee in his NFL career, Beckham will likely have an extremely tough time approaching his ideal salary. Add in the fact that he hasn’t had a 1,000-yard season since 2019, and his likelihood of reaching his target price becomes even more difficult to see coming to fruition.
Beckham is 30 years old, yet his arrow had been trending toward the sky after a successful 12-game run with the Los Angeles Rams, averaging 74.1 yards per game, which would equate to a 1,250-yard season over a full year. Basically, the last time we saw Beckham, he showed he can still be an impact playmaker. But will any team be willing to come close to meeting his reported ask of $20 million per year?
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