Getty The Cowboys are being urged to think twice before signing Odell Beckham Jr.
The Dallas Cowboys may have to think twice about signing Odell Beckham.
As Brent Sobleski of Bleacher Report writes, signing the three-time Pro Bowl receiver could disrupt the “balance” within the current setup of the team. The Cowboys are currently 9-3 and coming off of a 54-19 victory over the Indianapolis Colts in Week 13.
“The possible addition of the mercurial wide receiver could upset the balance within the current setup,” said Sobleski. “However, a healthy Beckham could be beneficial based purely on his skill set. After all, he provided the Los Angeles Rams a spark last season after the Cleveland Browns released him last November.”
Why the Cowboys May Regret Signing Beckham
Beckham hasn’t appeared in a game since tearing his ACL in the Super Bowl last February. However, the 30-year-old receiver has been fully cleared to return and is currently in the midst of meeting with several teams, including the Cowboys.
As Fox Sports’ Ralph Vacchiano reports, there is “considerable doubt” that Beckham will be able to contribute much this season.
“There is ‘considerable doubt’ around the league about just how healthy Beckham is, one NFC executive said, and whether he’ll really be able to contribute much this season,” Vacciano said on Saturday, December 3.
Outside of his recovery from a serious injury and the lack of regular season games to play to shake off the rust, Beckham is on the verge of joining a team with many weapons. The Cowboys already feature CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, Tony Pollard and Dalton Schultz in the receiving game.
With Gallup starting to come into form after his own recovery from a serious ACL injury — he caught two touchdown passes in the win over the Colts — there might not be many targets to go around for Beckham. In fact, he would slot in as the No. 3 wide receiver in a best-case scenario.
“Elliott and Pollard are a dynamic duo in the backfield. CeeDee Lamb is a slippery and explosive top target,” said Sobleski. “Gallup caught two touchdown passes against the Colts. Tight end Dalton Schultz is currently designated as the organization’s franchise player after getting the tag last offseason. The return on investment in Beckham, who is looking for a multi-year deal, might be minimal, especially in the short term.”
While the Cowboys may be stacked on offense, they’re still far from a dominant product in the passing game. Dallas’ passing attack ranks 13th in touchdown passes and 22nd in passing yards.
Despite the Cowboys’ weakness on offense, Sobleski believes the addition of Beckham will do more harm than good.
“The Cowboys are for real,” said Sobleski. “They can beat anyone in the NFL. An addition just to make one at this point of the season isn’t enough reason to possibly disturb everything going right at the moment.”
Beckham Attends Mavericks Game With Diggs and Parsons
The veteran receiver was actually spotted with Cowboys players Trevon Diggs and Micah Parsons at the Dallas Mavericks game on Monday, December 5. While attending the game, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon asked Beckham what are the chances of the Cowboys signing him. Beckham responded by saying it’s a “good possibility.”
Beckham already previously met with the New York Giants and the Buffalo Bills. He also reportedly has interest from teams such as the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers.
Considering Dallas’ courtship of Beckham and the fact that they’re one of the top Super Bowl contenders in the league, the Cowboys are the likely favorites to sign the three-time Pro Bowl receiver.
We’ll see whether or not Beckham is able to make a difference and if he ends up being the missing piece as Dallas looks to win their first Super Bowl in 26 years.