With Henry Ruggs no longer on the Las Vegas Raiders as a result of his involvement in a fatal car crash, the team has a need at wide receiver. Though the trade deadline has ended, the team may have some strong options available to them in free agency. One name to keep an eye on is Odell Beckham Jr. The three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver has officially been cut by the Cleveland Browns and will hit waivers on Monday.
Every team in the NFL will have a shot at claiming him but it sounds like it won’t be so simple. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Beckham doesn’t want to go to a non-playoff team and it could cause issues if he does get claimed.
“Beckham does not want to go to just any team, according to sources familiar with his thinking,” Schefter wrote Sunday. “Beckham wants to spend the rest of this season with a playoff contender and in a winning environment, where he believes he would be happy and productive.
“If a team that does not fit this criteria claims Beckham and the $7.25 million remaining on his contract, there could be potential issues for that team, according to a source, although it is unclear exactly what those issues would be.”
Fortunately for the Raiders, they are”high on the list of teams Beckham would be willing to play for,” per Raiders Beat. The team is currently 5-2 and at the top of the AFC West. They would certainly qualify as a playoff contender. Las Vegas is also an appealing city for Beckham and Derek Carr is an appealing quarterback to play with.
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Raiders Had Call With DeSean Jackson
GettyDeSean Jackson runs on the field with the Rams in 2021.
Beckham isn’t the only wide receiver in the running for the Raiders’ opening. There’s also been a lot of chatter about former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver DeSean Jackson. NFL insider Mike Silver reported on Saturday that the Raiders had a call with Jackson on Saturday and could sign him “as early as Monday.” He also noted that the team has not made a decision.
Free-agent WR DeSean Jackson had a zoom call today with Raiders officials. He could sign with the team as early as Monday–but nothing has been decided yet. @BallySports
Similar to Beckham, Jackson is also a three-time Pro Bowler. However, he’s 34-years-old now. Despite his age, he’s still a speedy vertical threat, which is exactly what the Raiders lost with Ruggs. According to Vincent Bonsignore of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the team has an interest in both Jackson and Beckham.
Who Should the Raiders Pursue?
The Raiders are fortunate to have two solid options at wide receiver this late in the season. Both men come with injury risks as they have missed a combined 20 games last year. Beckham has more upside than Jackson as he’s only 29-years-old and was considered one of the best wide receivers in the NFL just a few years ago. He fell on hard times in Cleveland but a pairing with Carr and the Raiders could revitalize a once-promising career.
Jackson is the more natural fit as his skill set is very similar to that of Ruggs. He also wouldn’t risk the possible headaches that Beckham could potentially bring to the team. If the Raiders are looking to make a serious splash, Beckham is the obvious choice. He can still be a superstar. If the Raiders are hoping to make the safe choice and rely more on what they have, then Jackson makes a ton of sense.
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More Details on Raiders’ Rumored Interest in OBJ, DeSean Jackson Emerge