Getty Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones (right).
Most of the talk surrounding wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has centered on where the free agent wideout who last played for the Los Angeles Rams will end up once he’s ready to return from his torn ACL. The assumption is that OBJ automatically improves any team that manages to haul him in, and the Dallas Cowboys are front runners.
It’s easy to see why the expectations are so high. Beckham has gone over 1,000 yards in five seasons, and has racked up 531 catches for 7,367 yards and 56 touchdowns over the course of a nine-year career. The former 12th overall pick is a three-time Pro Bowler, two-time All-Pro, and was the NFL’s offensive rookie of the year in 2014. But two league sources believe that the hype may prove to be overblown at this point in time.
That would be bad news for the Cowboys if they win the bidding war for OBJ, as it appears he could end up in Dallas on a multi-year deal.
Heavy NFL insider Matt Lombardo broke down the chatter in league circles on Beckham, and it runs the gamut from comparing him to Amari Cooper to cautioning that he could be a bust, for all intents and purposes.
Personnel Executive: Odell Beckham Jr. Is Finished as a Top WR
An AFC personnel executive told Lombardo that he does believe Beckham will end up with the Cowboys, and that there’s no way to know how much he’ll be able to contribute this year until he’s out on the field. However, this exec’s long-term expectations aren’t very high.
“I’d say he can be a No. 2 receiver, but he’ll never be a No. 1 guy again.”
“If I had to guess, he could be a No. 3 and make a play or two this season, but wouldn’t think he’s able to become a go-to guy in 2022,” the executive said to Lombardo. “For 2023… He may wind up playing off more reputation than substance.”
That’s a scary quote for a franchise that appears to be close to dropping serious money on the 30-year-old wide receiver coming off of a torn ACL.
NFL Wide Receiver Agent: OBJ Runs ‘Huge Risk’ of Being a Bust
An agent who represents numerous wide receivers made a very unflattering comparison for Beckham: Giants receiver Kenny Golladay, who has just four catches for 51 yards in 2022 after signing a four-year, $72 million contract.
“For a guy with all of the concerns away from the field, and coming off a blown-out knee that happened in February, and who you have no idea what that rehab has been because it hasn’t been with any teams or at any facilities, it’s a huge risk,” the agent told Heavy.
“Look at Kenny Golladay, different injuries, but he hasn’t been close to the same player since he got hurt in Detroit. Whoever signs Odell is taking a Golladay-sized risk.”
Golladay went over 1,000 yards in 2018 and 2019, but hasn’t looked the same since injuries in 2020.
In his last 21 games, Beckham has 856 yards on 67 catches with 8 touchdowns. That’s nothing to smirk at, but it’s not the kind of production that put Odell on a first name only level among fans league-wide.