Getty Free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Though they never got a deal done during the last season, the Buffalo Bills are apparently still interested in Odell Beckham Jr.
The Pro Bowl wide receiver held a private workout on March 10, showing off his skills as he seeks a new team. CBS Sports reporter Jonathan Jones reported that the Bills were among the nearly one dozen teams that took a look at the receiver, who sat out the 2022 season while rehabbing a torn ACL.
The Bills had been pegged as a frontrunner to land Beckham during the last season, though his rehab reportedly stretched on longer than initially anticipated and he wasn’t able to make his NFL return with any team. Friday’s workout could be an indication that the Bills are still in the race to land Beckham.
Odell Beckham Jr. Gets Plenty of Interest
There was considerable interest in Beckham at Friday’s workout. As Jones reported, the Bills were joined by representatives from the Carolina Panthers, New York Giants, New England Patriots, Los Angeles Rams, San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Minnesota Vikings, Cleveland Browns, and Baltimore Ravens.
While some of those teams may be putting in their due diligence and not serious contenders to sign Beckham, the crowded bunch indicates the Bills would have some tough competition if they intend to sign him.
Teams represented at Odell Beckham Jr.’s private workout in Arizona today included the Panthers, Giants, Patriots, Rams, Cardinals, 49ers, Bills, Chiefs, Vikings, Browns and Ravens, per source.
The NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported on Wednesday that Beckham is back to 100 percent, just a little more than a year after the tore his ACL in the Super Bowl.
There were not yet reports on how the 30-year-old receiver performed at his private workout, but he had been a strong performer prior to the injury, making 531 catches for 7,367 yards and 56 touchdowns in his career.
Free-agent WR Odell Beckham Jr. will hold a workout for NFL teams Friday in Arizona, per sources.
Beckham is now more than 13 months removed from ACL reconstruction, ready to play … and free to sign at any time.
Bills edge rusher Von Miller was active in trying to recruit Beckham, his former teammate with the Rams, to Buffalo during the last season. Miller even made public statements assuring that Beckham was planning to join the Bills.
“He’s coming to the Bills. He’s coming to the Bills,” Miller said during an appearance on Richard Sherman’s podcast. “It’s already said and done. He’s coming to the Bills. We’re down a couple of receivers, man… When it’s said and done, we know where Odell is going to be at man.”
Receiver Seen as Top Priority for the Bills
While it’s not clear if the Bills intend to make an offer to Beckham, many insiders believe they will try to upgrade the receiving corps this offseason. The Bills struggled to find reliable production beyond Stefon Diggs, with No. 2 receiver Gabe Davis failing to meet the expectations he set with a four-touchdown performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in a 2022 playoff loss.
ESPN’s Football Outsiders said finding a true No. 2 receiver is a top offseason priority for the Bills, hinting that they could find one through a trade.