Veteran wide receivers are well-stocked on the free agent market this offseason, with multiple surprising names still available. Keenan Allen and Amari Cooper are the most notable of those, while some forgotten stars are also looking for another opportunity.
Odell Beckham Jr. is among those players, having not registered a 1,000-yard season since 2019 and tallying just 55 yards on the Miami Dolphins last year. Retirement remains a strong possibility for the former New York Giants star, but two AFC teams could pique his interest in 2025.
Odell Beckham Jr. Linked With Two AFC Teams
According to PFSN’s Jacob Infante, Beckham has limited options in 2025, but that shouldn’t stop him from carving out a veteran role on an NFL offense. A return to his former team is also a possibility.
“At this stage, OBJ projects best as a veteran mentor off the bench for young receivers. A reunion with the New York Giants has been floated around, slotting him in as a mentor to young star Malik Nabers. He has a couple of options to compete for a roster spot, but if he’s not interested in being on the bubble, retirement could be an option.”
Beckham is no longer a player whose signing would excite fans, but the experienced pass catcher could still play a role on a team. Two other teams that Infante mentions are the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers, with both teams looking lightweight after their respective WR1s.
The Jets are a team in transition, having brought in former Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields, who spent last season in Pittsburgh. Swapping places with Fields this offseason is Aaron Rodgers, who joins DK Metcalf in Pittsburgh.
A Rodgers-Beckham partnership would have been a mouth-watering prospect 10 years ago, after the Steelers quarterback won the MVP and Beckham was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2014. Today, though, the three-time Pro Bowler would join a stable full of depth receivers such as Robert Woods, Calvin Austin III, and Roman Wilson.
Beckham would find himself in a similar position in New York, albeit in more familiar surroundings. Both teams project to be run-heavy in 2025, but Pittsburgh’s Super Bowl ambitions would likely be enough to tip the scales in its favor.
What Does Beckham Offer in 2025?
Though Beckham struggled last year, it would be unfair to judge the receiver on what he produced in a Miami offense that imploded without Tua Tagovailoa in 2024. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle also had dismal seasons by their standards, as the Dolphins struggled to move the ball through the air.
In 2023, though, Beckham proved to be a useful asset in the Baltimore Ravens offense, tallying 565 receiving yards and three touchdowns on 64 targets. Those numbers won’t raise the ceiling of either the Steelers or the Jets, but would be solid production for a second or third-choice wide receiver.
Vintage Odell Beckham Jr.
Slant to the house.pic.twitter.com/w33dYzkLed
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) November 12, 2023
For context, Beckham’s numbers in Baltimore were similar to those of Keon Coleman and Kayshon Boutte last season. Fans of either team would happily accept that, though it remains to be seen if the Super Bowl-winning receiver plans to suit up at all come September.
