With Odell Beckham Jr. set to be a free agent for the second time in six months this offseason, what are his potential landing spots? After a strong finish to his time in Los Angeles, what might Beckham’s value be this offseason, and which teams might be in the market for him?
Odell Beckham Jr.’s landing spots
When Beckham left the Cleveland Browns after Week 8 of the 2021 season, he had just 232 yards and a 50% catch rate with 17 receptions. In the three playoff games leading into Super Bowl 56, OBJ has better numbers than in those six games with the Browns. In the last three weeks, Beckham has 236 receiving yards, 19 receptions, and an 82.6% catch rate.
What happens when Beckham and the Rams take the field for the Super Bowl could further impact that value. Another strong performance in this playoff run could see Beckham viewed as a “clutch” performer. While this metric is impossible to actually judge, it can make all the difference when teams are looking for which player could provide a spark for them in future seasons and, most importantly, the playoffs.
As it stands heading into Super Bowl 56, Spotrac has Beckham valued at two years and $26.4 million. However, entering his age-30 season, we could see Beckham look to get both more years and more money on that deal after his playoff exploits. If he earns in excess of $15 million over three or four seasons, that would not be a huge surprise.
The intriguing element will be seeing which teams feel they are in the market to pay Beckham. That sort of money will likely only emerge in free agency if there are a couple of teams interested. Let’s have a look at some potential landing spots for Beckham, both on the higher end of the value spectrum and if he ends up having to settle for slightly less.
Could a move to the Los Angeles Chargers be in the cards?
Beckham and Los Angeles seem like a match made in heaven. However, the Rams are somewhat limited from a cap space perspective, and their needs this offseason are elsewhere than at wide receiver. But the other LA-based team, the Chargers, are flush with cap space and have Mike Williams on an expiring contract.
Beckham would not be a direct replacement for Williams, who is more of a deep-ball and contested-catch specialist. Yet, what Beckham would provide the Chargers is a second pure route runner to play opposite Keenan Allen. The Chargers have an exciting offense, and adding Beckham would lock in four key components of the passing game for the next few years.
Would Beckham consider a trip to Miami to play with the Dolphins?
Miami already has one Beckham in residence in the form of Inter Miami CF owner, David Beckham. However, the NFL team could add their own superstar Beckham in the form of Odell. The Dolphins’ passing game has to be addressed this offseason. Sorting out the offensive line has to be a key, but Miami has the cap space to add a star pass catcher opposite Jaylen Waddle.
Beckham would give the Dolphins that reliable veteran next to Waddle. Miami can still use Waddle inventively, while also having Beckham do the bread-and-butter wide receiver work. If new head coach Mike McDaniel looks to build his receiving group in the same mold as the 49ers, then this might not be a fit. But we have seen the Shanahan coaching tree use different types of receivers to great effect.
Is a return to New York with the Jets a potential option?
The Jets already have plenty invested in their receiver position, but there is the potential to add another talented pass catcher. One area of caution for any team with a young QB is the impact of OBJ. While the situation in Cleveland may not all have been due to star WR, it does serve as a cautionary tale. If Beckham gets disgruntled, not having a strong and established leader in the locker room could be a concern.
However, the potential reward if the Jets get the version we have seen of Beckham recently is sky-high. A trio of Elijah Moore, Corey Davis, and Beckham would give Zach Wilson a tremendous supporting cast to work with in 2022. The Jets have other needs this offseason, but providing more support for Wilson has to be a priority. It would be a risky move, but it has the potential to be very successful for the Jets.
The Indianapolis Colts could make Beckham their WR1
The expectation is that the Colts will look for a complementary receiver for Michael Pittman. Yet, there is the potential they could view Pittman as the complement to a WR1-type option in Beckham. Indianapolis will likely need to first decide if they want to roll with Carson Wentz as their quarterback in 2022. If they choose to go with Wentz again, providing him with a bona fide weapon on the outside is vital.
The concern that many will raise is putting Beckham in a run-dominated offense. Will that lead to potential unhappiness if he perceives his role as too small? The counter to that is that if the team is winning and succeeding, Beckham would likely be fine with that role. The concerns arose in Cleveland when Beckham was not getting opportunities and the team was struggling on offense.
Could the Rams find a way to bring Beckham back?
It is intriguing to see what the Rams are looking to do this offseason. They are projected to have some cap issues this year and have high-profile players becoming free agents. However, they can move money around and create cap space for the right players.
The question would be where Beckham falls on the priority list. If Robert Woods is expected to be back for the start of the season, the Rams have a pretty settled WR trio. Therefore, the focus may fall more into looking at keeping Von Miller in Los Angeles to provide that strong pass rush. There is no doubting that the Rams’ coaching staff and players would love Beckham back, but financially, it might just be a step too far.