Getty Odell Beckham Jr. #13 of the Cleveland Browns runs off the field after their 19-10 win over the Atlanta Falcons at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on August 29, 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Aaron Rodgers throwing passes to Odell Beckham Jr. is going to have to continue to be something Green Bay Packers fans only see in their dreams.
After a Twitterstorm erupted late Thursday afternoon about Beckham wavering between the Packers and the Los Angeles Rams, the 29-year-old wide receiver officially agreed to terms with L.A. and will now become a receiving target for Matthew Stafford in an offense that already includes Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods and Van Jefferson.
Added another Pro Bowl talent to the mix. 😏
Beckham might not have the same star power that he did when he caught 90-plus passes and racked up more than 1,300 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons with the New York Giants, but moving from the NFL’s eighth-worst passing offense to its third-best could be significant for his production, even as a complementary piece. Stafford also has the most passing yards (2,771) and second-most touchdown throws (23) in the league.
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Beckham Didn’t View Packers as ‘All-In’
The possibility of Beckham landing in Green Bay gained major traction on November 9 when ESPN’s Jordan Schultz first reported Beckham was planning to prioritize the Packers as his top destination once he cleared the waivers. While it would have been financially unrealistic for the Packers to put in a waiver claim for him and his $7.25 million cap hit prior to the deadline, Beckham’s status as an unrestricted free agent allowed him to sign a new deal that fit a contender’s budget.
Then, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, the interest became mutual enough for the Packers to offer him a veteran-minimum contract. They don’t have much cap space left (about $4.6 million), but they do have a three-time MVP quarterback and some of the best odds to make the playoffs with a sizable divisional lead over the rest of their NFC North rivals.
In the end, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport said Beckham’s decision began and ended with two teams in mind — the Packers and Rams — despite some other teams throwing their hat in the ring. Unfortunately, it sounds like Beckham might not have gotten the interest he was hoping to receive from the Packers, whereas the Rams made a stronger attempt at showing him how he would fit into their system.
Here’s what Schultz wrote shortly after the Rams made the signing official:
“Odell’s final 2 teams came down to the #Rams and #Packers (who remained his preferred destination),” Schultz tweeted. “Not once did OBJ feel like GB was all-in. On the flip side, he spoke w/Sean McVay, who was able to creatively detail the multitude of ways he’d maximize OBJ’s talents.”
Packers Still Have Plenty of WR Options
Beckham signing with the Packers was an exciting possibility that picked up some unexpected steam over the past few days, but it doesn’t change that the Packers still have quite a few receiving options to choose from in their current offense. Rodgers has debatably the best pass-catcher in the NFL in Davante Adams and one of the better deep threats as well in Marquez Valdes Scantling. The arsenal also includes veteran Randall Cobb, bruiser Allen Lazard, third-round rookie Amari Rodgers.
Yes, Beckham could have pulled more attention and helped with defenses doubling Adams in coverage, but Valdes-Scantling has only been back one week and could help accomplish that on his own without help from an outside veteran. And if he can’t, the Packers have other means for creating mismatched looks, including a pair of running backs — Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon — with good hands and Marcedes Lewis, who has been more involved in the passing game this season.
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Odell Beckham Makes Final Decision on Signing With Packers