While the Buffalo Bills (8-3) look to get their third consecutive against the New England Patriots on Thursday Night Football, the team is also preparing to welcome free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. for a visit on Friday, December 2, a date that was revealed by Von Miller during his Twitch live stream on Tuesday night.
“Hey man, it ain’t over till it’s over,” Miller said. “He’s going to see the Giants, us and the Cowboys. And I think, when he comes here, I don’t think he’s gonna leave,” and it seems the Bills general manager Brandon Beane is preparing for that exact scenario.
Buffalo could use some help at wide receiver with Jamison Crowder, Marquez Stevenson, and Jake Kumerow on IR, and ahead of the three-time Pro Bowler’s trip to Orchard Park, the Bills made a big move that appears to put the team in a position to sign Beckham right away.
WGR 550‘s Sal Capaccio tweeted on Wednesday, November 30, “NFL source tells me the Bills restructured the contract of CB Tre’Davious White to now create approximately 2.5M of cap space. They were down to a league-low $332K before this move due to the toll of injury replacement costs and the acquisition of Nyheim Hines.”
While Capaccio also noted, “This move does not mean they are or aren’t signing Odell Beckham. My understanding is it was going to happen regardless of that situation due to their lack of cap space,” it’s hard to ignore the timing of White’s restructured contract.
In early November, Beane said the door was still open to adding Beckham but noted they had to figure things out money-wise. “OBJ is a heck of a talent,” Beane said on November 2, per The Athletic‘s Joe Buscaglia. “If we think he can help his team, we’d be crazy not to at least look into it. Says if they did, financials, role would all have to line up.”
What Type of Offer Is Beckham Looking For?
CBS Sports‘ Josina Anderson tweeted on Thursday that the Dallas Cowboys, a team Beckham is scheduled to visit on December 5, would be willing to offer him a “multi-year deal if the numbers are reasonable.” However, due to Beckham’s recent ACL surgery, rehab, and age, it’s hard to imagine him getting an immediate long-term deal.
Bleacher Report‘s Tyler Conway surmised that teams will likely “limit their offers to one- or two-year deals, with the second year being heavily favorable to the team in case Beckham looks like a shell of himself. The market would be kinder to Beckham if he signs a short-term ‘prove it’ deal with a team and excels down the stretch.”
Cover 1 host Greg Thompsett tweeted, “There is a VERY sneaky path to sign OBJ to a cheap 2022 deal with incentive laden 2023 #’s that are easy Not-Likely-To-Be-Earned targets because he hasn’t played in 2022 which means OBJ is confident he’ll get all those 2023 incentives but the Bills won’t have to pay until 2024.”
Beckham’s Biggest Recruiter in Buffalo Suffered a Major Injury on Thanksgiving Day
Miller has been publicly campaigning for Beckham to join him in Buffalo since the 2022 NFL season started, and previously gloated that the move was already “said and done. Before the Bills’ Week 10 matchup, Miller noted how he’s already put his former teammate “on the phone” with Beane. “The ball is in his court,” the eight-time Pro Bowler said, during an appearance on The Pivot Podcast on Friday, November 11.
“I wouldn’t try to get him to come here if we didn’t have a chance,” Miller continued. “I take a look at this team and I see a spot for OBJ. Not just on the field, but off the field. I see him having success, and not just team success… I’ve been recruiting him. I’ve gave him the spiel. If he wants to come here, it’s because he wants to come here. He’s going to be happy because he made that choice for himself, and if he doesn’t, it’s all love.”
Just two weeks later, Miller suffered a knee injury late in the second quarter of the Bills’ 28-25 victory over the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day. As Miller was carted off the field, Beckham tweeted, “God plz watch over @VonMiller !!! Place your hands over him Lord. I ask that it not be anything too serious. I love u brother prayin hard!”
While the two-time Super Bowl champ did not tear his ACL, an MRI revealed that Miller suffered a lateral meniscus tear and will be re-evaluated after seven to 10 days. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Miller will definitely require surgery, but the big question is whether or not he can wait until after the season ends.
According to the Bills’ $120 million star, however, he’ll be back on the field sooner rather than later. Miller announced on his Twitch live stream on Tuesday night that he’s hoping to be back in action when the Bills take on the New York Jets in Week 14.
“If I’m out there, you know that I’m ready to go and I feel totally confident,” Miller said. “I don’t want nobody feeling sorry for me… I just got to fight through it, man, and I’ll be back. Rehab is going good. I’m feeling good.”
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