Jets star shares how close Odell Beckham came to joining team

Jan 13, 2020; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; LSU Tigers former player Odell Beckham, Jr. in attendance before the College Football Playoff national championship game against the Clemson Tigers at Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

Odell Beckham Jr. signed a one-year, $18 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens in April. It is no secret that the Ravens had to fend off the New York Jets to land Beckham. Now we’re learning just how close Beckham was to signing with the Jets.

Jets cornerback Sauce Gardner recently claimed that Beckham came incredibly close to signing with the Jets before ultimately joining Baltimore. According to Gardner, Beckham even had a jersey number picked out.

“Odell, he wanted to play here,” Gardner told Conor Orr of SI. “It was to the point where he was picking his jersey. He was telling me, like, ‘Hey, ask so-and-so if I can get the jersey [number I want].’ He was going to wear number 7.”

It is not clear why Beckham ultimately landed with the Ravens and not the Jets. It is worth noting that reports at the time suggested that even some within the NFL were surprised that Beckham did not ultimately sign with New York, where he would have been able to team up with quarterback Aaron Rodgers. Beckham reportedly was on Rodgers’ “wish list” for the Jets.

The Jets signed a number of wide receivers, including former Rodgers teammates Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, so it is not as if they are lacking options. Still, it would be interesting to know why the Beckham move fell through if it was as close as has been indicated.