Getty Kansas City Chiefs head coach Andy Reid in 2023.
The Kansas City Chiefs are reportedly still monitoring Odell Beckham Jr. as their top wide receiver target in free agency according to The Athletic’s Nate Taylor.
On March 28, he relayed: “The Chiefs will continue to pursue a deal with Odell Beckham Jr., the talented veteran receiver they’ve coveted for almost two years. But at the same time, the team doesn’t believe it desperately needs to add another receiver to its roster if Beckham elects to sign with another contender.”
For that reason, a new report on Beckham may interest the Chiefs decision-makers. This morning on March 30, Sports Illustrated NFL insider Albert Breer was asked about OBJ’s current asking price, and the well-informed media member had a detailed answer for fans.
“Word before his appearance at the Arizona Biltmore on Tuesday was that Odell Beckham Jr. was looking for something in the neighborhood of $15 million per year,” Breer revealed. “That’s down from where he was previously, so I do think there’s room for negotiation here, and I do think showing up at the hotel where the owners’ meetings were taking place was a savvy move from a business standpoint.”
Chiefs’ Target Odell Beckham Jr. Seeking Contract Near $15 Million Value
We know by now that a $15 million contract does not mean a $15 million cap hit, or $15 million guaranteed.
For example, Beckham is expected to take a highly incentivized deal in 2023, given his injury history and the depressed WR market. ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler outlined this theory on March 30, relaying: “As one league source forecasted, perhaps Beckham earns a deal of around $8 million per year that can reach $10-plus million with incentives. With a very sluggish free agency market after the initial wave, that’s probably considered a win for Beckham.”
In the same article, fellow ESPN insider Dan Graziano also noted that “the [New York] Jets are [still] the most likely landing spot” for Beckham this spring.
During the same Sports Illustrated piece, Breer gave his opinion on OBJ’s future landing spot as well.
He voiced: “To me, this comes down to what Beckham wants, from money to geography to coaching to winning. He’s not young anymore, but he doesn’t turn 31 until November. It’s not hard to see him having another nice run or two, like the one he was having with the [Los Angeles] Rams before tearing his ACL again in the Super Bowl. Which is why I think landing in the right spot is imperative and, you’d hope, high on his list of priorities.”
It’s unclear what price general manager Brett Veach and head coach Andy Reid would be willing to pay for the former superstar WR, but a lowered ask would certainly only increase their odds of landing Beckham in free agency.
SMU WR Rashee Rice Visits Chiefs on Top-30 Visit
Speaking of wide receivers, SMU’s Rashee Rice touched down in Kansas City for a top-30 visit on March 29 according to his Instagram story — via Arrowhead Live on Twitter.
Looks like SMU WR Rashee Rice is in KC to meet with the Chiefs
Rice tagged his former SMU teammate Shane Buechele — the current Chiefs QB2 — in the cryptic IG post.
This would be an intriguing match for the Chiefs at wide receiver. Rice is a prospect that analysts have compared to CeeDee Lamb, Brandon Aiyuk and Chris Godwin.
I really like SMU WR Rashee Rice.
He’s got a little CeeDee Lamb to his game.
Having said that, NFL Network draft expert Lance Zierlein gave him a mixed review, scouting: “Talented but enigmatic receiver with game tape that shows a lack of consistency and impressive ball skills. Rice has enough top-end speed to attack vertically but has a tendency for nonchalant running on intermediate routes and zone-beaters underneath. In one game you might see terrific ball-tracking and jump-ball victories followed by frustrating drops and a lack of physicality in fighting back on contested catches. The route inefficiencies can be cleaned up, but Rice must play with better consistency and urgency to find long-term NFL reps.”
Rice is coming off his first 1,000-yard campaign of his college tenure in 2022, with 1,355 as a Mustang over his last 12 games. He projects to be a second or third-round selection in the draft according to NFL Draft Buzz.