Odell Beckham Jr. explains why he wouldn’t play this regular season

Oct 21, 2021; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (13) warms up before the game between the Browns and the Denver Broncos at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is back in Arizona after making several free agent visits in recent weeks. He’s said to be deciding between the New York Giants, Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys, but nothing has been finalized to date.

And it may not be for quite some time.

Beckham refused to work out for any of the three teams during his visits and concerns about his health have arisen. OBJ is just 10 months removed from an ACL tear and although cleared, likely won’t be able to step onto the field until mid-January. That has given some of the teams pause.

But Beckham doesn’t quite understand it. In his mind, there’s no point in returning during the regular season. Rather, he has his sights set on the playoffs.

“I haven’t made the decision,” Beckham said during a Thursday night appearance on ‘The Shop.’ “I would like to be in a stable environment. Get up at 6 a.m., leave at 6 p.m. for four weeks and then let’s talk about it. I’ve played football for a long time. I’m not saying I couldn’t step in and play [in the] regular season, but I don’t see the point. I really don’t. I’d rather play when that pressure’s on.”

For the Cowboys, Bills and Giants, the pressure is already on. All three teams are fighting for their playoff lives in quality divisions and could use the help of a healthy Beckham.

Ultimately, however, this is a business decision for Beckham. He’s coming off a serious injury and doesn’t want to hurt future value by rushing back onto the field.