Getty Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones takes in the atmosphere before an NFL game.
The Dallas Cowboys have not bene shying away from their free agency interest in Odell Beckham Jr., but the team may have difficulty getting him to sign.
After not making any trades for wide receiver help before the November 1 trade deadline, things have been heating up between the Cowboys and OBJ. The former Los Angeles Rams and New York Giants star is in need of a new home, now that he’s nearly recovered from an ACL tear suffered in last year’s Super Bowl.
But he is apparently looking for something long-term, and that’s an issue for Dallas. According to the Star-Telegram’s Clarence Hill Jr., the player’s demands are going to be a “hurdle” in negotiations.
“Per source, nothing is imminent between the Cowboys and Beckham,” Hill Jr. Tweeted on November 9. “Still don’t know when he will be ready and his wish for a multi-year deal coming off an ACL remains a hurdle.”
Beckham holding out for a multi-year deal may be a little surprising to some, but the receiver trying to establish a long-term focus after a “mercenary” run with the Rams also makes sense.
Of course, OBJ still has to fully recover from injury as well, which will determine if a deal is even possible.
Beckham Recovering for Back-Half of 2022 Season
After an impressive upturn in production with Los Angeles, Beckham Jr. received a brutal end to his 2022 season by tearing his ACL in the Rams’ Super Bowl win. The 30-year-old totaled 593 receiving yards and seven touchdowns in 12 total appearances in 2022.
But just over half a year later, NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport and Mike Garafolo are reporting that Beckham was finishing up rehab for the major injury, and also confirmed that Dallas is monitoring his recovery.
“While Dallas has not had any contract talks with Beckham’s agent Zeke Sandhu, the team has continued to check in on his health and how his recovery from the knee injury he suffered during Super Bowl LVI has been,” NFL.com’s article states. “Beckham is in the final stages of his rehab, and should be ready to help a team down the stretch and potentially in the playoffs.”
There’s no doubt about OBJ’s ability, but paying him for a multi-year contract shortly after a major ACL injury is a major gamble.
Cowboys RB Recruiting OBJ
Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott did not take long to follow Micah Parsons’ lead, now outright recruiting Beckham to the Cowboys during a recent media appearance.
It’s not unheard of for major stars of NFL teams to try and recruit talent, but it’s rare for Dallas. But Elliott made it very clear on November 9 that he wants OBJ on the Cowboys.
“We know what type of player Odell is,” Elliott said to the media, per The Athletic’s Jon Machota. “We know how explosive he can be and what he could bring to this offense. It would be great to get him down here in Dallas… He would definitely fit in this locker room. We want OBJ.”
Hill Jr.’s report says that nothing is imminent for the Cowboys and OBJ, but that doesn’t mean that the players aren’t pushing for it to happen.