Getty Images Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones.
The Dallas Cowboys held off on signing Odell Beckham Jr. during the season but the team is still interested in landing the high-profile pass-catcher as a free agent.
Stephen and Jerry Jones confirmed during a press conference on Wednesday that the team will restart discussions with Beckham’s camp this offseason when free agency begins in mid-March. Stephen Jones said that they’ll be gauging where he’s at in his rehab from a torn ACL, which he suffered during the 2022 Super Bowl while with the Los Angeles Rams.
“That’s how we left it,” Jones said.
The Cowboys signing Beckham during the season seemed imminent at one point but interest from Dallas waned after a visit from the three-time Pro Bowler gave the team a closer look at his progression from a torn ACL. While both sides were motivated to get a deal done, Beckham wouldn’t have been able to get on the field until the postseason, which was a deal-breaker for the Cowboys.
“Well, I think the big thing is me or whoever has let enough time go as we get toward the end of the season that it’s not realistic to think about having him in any meaningful way for the playoffs,” Jerry Jones said in December. “That’s not dismissing [signing Beckham in] the future, but it is dismissing, for the most part, the reality of him getting in here and helping us in the playoffs. That was a big part of the equation.”
Instead, the Cowboys chose instead to sign T.Y. Hilton, who was decent in his short time with the team, but far from a game-changer. He made seven catches for 121 yards in the regular season and snagged three catches in the postseason.
Beckham Has Been Showing Off Progress on Social Media
Beckham is at an interesting point in his career. The 30-year-old proved during his stint with the Rams he can still be a significant contributor but has suffered two major knee injuries in recent years, which is concerning for any squad looking to sign him to a deal.
But Beckham has remained optimistic in his recovery and has recently been showing off his progress on social media.
“I swear I’m loadin,” Beckham said this week on Twitter, retweeting a clip of him running full speed. “No where near I wanna be but exactly where I need to be.”
Beckham went through some rough years in Cleveland after a trade from the Giants in 2019, managing just 114 catches for 1,586 yards in 29 games. After an ugly ending with the Browns that resulted in his release, Beckham signed with the Rams and became a key contributor during their Super Bowl run.
Beckham caught 48 passes for 593 yards and seven touchdowns in 12 games with the Rams, which includes four postseason contests.
Beckham made it clear during an interview with Complex Sports that he’d like his next stop to be a more long-term home,
“Whether it’s Buffalo, Green Bay calling, the Cowboys, or reunion with the Giants,” Beckham said. “I want to be able to spill these last three or four years into these next three or fours into something where I can buy a home, like somewhere I can call home.”
Cowboys WR Michael Gallup Undergoes Surgery
When it comes to news on receivers currently on the roster, Michael Gallup underwent surgery on Tuesday on his right leg, hoping to be at full strength for next season. Gallup had his right knee and right ankle both scoped, per Calvin Watkins of the Dallas Morning News.
Gallup missed three games to start the season coming off a torn ACL, finishing with 34 catches for 424 yards. His 10.9 yards per reception was a career-low.
The Cowboys are invested in Gallup being a key part of their future. He signed a five-year, $57.5 million contract last offseason.