Odell Beckham Jr. has met with several teams in recent weeks, and it appeared he was getting closer to signing with a contender for the stretch run. That may no longer be the plan.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on Tuesday that there is a belief among NFL teams that Beckham will sit out the entire 2022 season. One executive told Fowler that he expects OBJ to “be the prize” of the upcoming free-agent class rather than joining a team this late in the year.
Josina Anderson of USA Today had a similar report on Tuesday evening:
I’m told the Cowboys & Odell Beckham Jr’s camp spoke Monday night in an effort to find common ground on basic terms & timing. While a window remains open to how this season unfolds, right now OBJ’s zoning in on training & determining his best path -at the right value, per source.
— JosinaAnderson (@JosinaAnderson) December 14, 2022
Beckham has had visits with the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Buffalo Bills. He did not run routes for any of the teams, and there have been growing concerns about whether he is fully recovered from the torn ACL he suffered in the Super Bowl.
Jerry Jones was openly recruiting Beckham every chance he got at one point, but the Cowboys owner’s tune changed after Beckham underwent a physical.
Judging by some recent comments he made, it sounds like Beckham has no intention of playing in the regular season this year. Jones has emphasized how important it would be for OBJ to contribute this season if the Cowboys signed him. Dallas has since added another former Pro Bowl wide receiver to their roster.
It is unrealistic to think Beckham would be able to step onto the field for the first time in a playoff game and make a meaningful contribution. Teams were obviously more interested in him when they believed he was a lot closer to playing than he actually is.
