For all the NFL teams who missed out on adding to their wide receiver corps at the trade deadline, there’s still one more prized acquisition who remains. After tearing his ACL in the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl win in February, Pro Bowl wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is nearing a return to the football field.
While he played parts of last season with the Cleveland Browns before getting let go, OBJ landed with the Rams, but only on a one-year contract. Now, the 29-year-old receiver is a free agent once again and able to sign with any team he chooses.
Injuries could always drastically alter a team’s depth chart in the next few weeks, but now that rosters are mostly set following the trade deadline, let’s look at the teams who make the most sense to land Beckham.
Green Bay Packers finally throw Aaron Rodgers a bone
It’s impossible to ignore the fact that Aaron Rodgers hasn’t been happy with the Green Bay Packers, not only for the past few years but especially so since the team is currently 3-5. The front office’s effort since trading Davante Adams hasn’t done the receiving corps any justice.
The Packers are far from having the 10th-ranked offense we saw a season ago when Rodgers led the eighth-best passing attack. Instead, they’re scoring 8.4 fewer points per game and are just one loss away from matching last season’s total with nine games left to play.
If there’s one QB who’s likely pounding the table louder than anyone else, it’s Rodgers, demanding his team signs Beckham Jr. The seasoned vet showed he was capable of learning a new offense on the fly late last season, so why can’t he do it again with a back-to-back NFL MVP?
Los Angeles Rams bring OBJ back
Odell Beckham Jr. stats with Rams (playoffs included): 48 receptions, 593 receiving yards, 7 TDs (12 games)
Of course, maybe the easiest move for everyone involved would include Beckham returning to the Rams to try and finish what he started, only on the field for the winning celebration this time around. Only, like the Packers, the Rams are far off their projected path at 3-4, in third place of the NFC West.
While Matthew Stafford and even Cooper Kupp would certainly benefit from Beckham’s addition, he may find a better opportunity elsewhere. Especially if the Rams continue to lowball him, as the wide receiver suggests has happened.