The Dallas Cowboys’ pursuit of Odell Beckham Jr. may have hit a snag with questions surrounding the playmaker’s availability for this season. ESPN’s Ed Werder reported that the Cowboys “have concerns” about Beckham’s physical and a potential mid-January return.
“Source: The Cowboys have concerns after Odell Beckham Jr.’s physical that his recovery from torn left ACL in Super Bowl has not progressed enough to ensure he would play before mid-January and possibility exists signing him would have no benefit until 2023 season,” Werder tweeted on December 6, 2022.
Cowboys View Beckham’s Lack of a Workout as a ‘Red Flag’
Odell Beckham Jr. is visiting the #DallasCowboys again today! Cowboys owner & GM Jerry Jones joins the morning show to talk signing OBJ without seeing him work out. How confident is he?
Watch the full interview here: t.co/LXHN6UrdTK
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has continued to stress the importance of this season when making a decision on signing Beckham. Dallas could decide to sign Beckham to a multi-year deal with an eye on next season, but this has not been the approach the front office has taken publicly. According to Sports Illustrated’s Mike Fisher, the Cowboys view Beckham’s decision not to workout during his visit to The Star as a “red flag.”
“As CowboysSI.com was first to report, however, he was never expected to actually work out for the Cowboys, an activity he also skipped on recent ‘OBJ World Tour’ visits with the Giants and Bills,” Fisher wrote on December 6. “And the Cowboys were ‘disappointed’ – the polite word we used to describe their feelings when we broke that story on Friday.
“And now? Somebody inside this building finally said, if not ‘No,’ then at least, ‘Slow down.’ That no-workout whisper was a red flag for the Cowboys organization. They decided to bull through the behavior/diva/Air OBJ thing. But you can’t bull through a torn-up knee. Red. Flag.”
OBJ Plans to Play in the Postseason: Report
Luka Doncic was asked if he helped the Cowboys’ Odell Beckham Jr. recruiting efforts:
“I tried, I tried… After the game, I saw him. Hopefully. I can’t say nothing… Go Cowboys.”
Beckham is spending at least two days visiting the Cowboys with the playmaker expected to meet with some of the Dallas players on the second day of his visit December 6. CBS Sports’ Josina Anderson painted a more optimistic picture of Beckham’s status, emphasizing that the wideout believes he can play during the playoffs.
“I’m told Odell Beckham Jr is still on his visit with the Cowboys, per league source,” Anderson tweeted on December 6. “Separately, sources close to Beckham Jr. tell me he feels able to contribute to the playoffs this season, especially after getting in with a team & acclimating consistently over several weeks.”
The ball could be in the Cowboys’ court as to how they approach their offer to the wide receiver. Fisher believes the Cowboys would be wise to sign Beckham to a multi-year contract with some parameters on his rehab.
“Next chapter on OBJ – Cowboys should offer multi-year contract NOW, require that he rehab under team supervision, plan on full 2023 and beyond – with LARGE incentives if Beckham proves successful,” Fisher detailed on Twitter.
Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported there is “a lot to sort through” with Beckham’s health. The NFL insider referenced a failed 2020 surgery as part of the reason for complications with Beckham’s knee.
“Odell Beckham’s 2020 surgery was a mess to the point where the Rams had concerns about signing him last year—feeling like his knee was a ticking timebomb,” Breer tweeted on December 6. “That bomb went off in the Super Bowl. Hope is the recovery from this one will be cleaner. But there’s a lot to sort through.”
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Insiders Reveal Cowboys’ Frustration With Odell Beckham Jr.’s ‘Red Flag’