Rams had to take unusual step over Odell Beckham Jr. appearance
Jan 17, 2022; Inglewood, California, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) reacts before a NFC Wild Card playoff football game against the Arizona Cardinals at SoFi Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports
The Los Angeles Rams welcomed some former players back Thursday as part of their celebration of the team’s Super Bowl title. Nothing about that is unusual, but the organization was forced into an amusing and unusual move to comply with NFL protocol in doing so.
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was on hand Thursday as part of the pregame ceremony. Since Beckham is currently a free agent, however, the Rams had to report his appearance to the league as an official visit.
This is great: Because Odell Beckham Jr. was in the building last night for the Super Bowl banner ceremony, the #Rams had to inform the league that he was on an official “visit” since he’s currently a free agent: 😂 pic.twitter.com/UHTam20arj
— Ari Meirov (@MySportsUpdate) September 9, 2022
The NFL has specific protocols like this for good reason. Secret visits could certainly provide problems or give certain teams unfair advantages in recruiting players. Considering Beckham was front and center, however, there was little risk of that happening here.
The Rams still want Beckham back, and there have been some hints that it might happen. Whether he returns or not, Thursday’s so-called visit probably will not be a decisive factor.
