Getty Odell Beckham during Super Bowl 56.
Before he hopped on board with the Los Angeles Rams, Odell Beckham nearly became an air attack option for the New England Patriots, admitting to reporters back on February 7 that he was “close, very close” to not signing with the Rams with the Pats as one option.
It’s looking like OBJ and the six-time Super Bowl winner the Patriots could still be a pairing as the Super Bowl 56 winner remains unsigned.
Per NFL insider Dov Kleiman on Friday, April 1, Beckham and the Pats have had “exploratory talks” about teaming up in the 2022 season.
#Patriots have had exploratory talks with free-agent WR Odell Beckham about signing the star receiver
Pats looked into signing OBJ back in November last year following his release from the #Browns, per @JFowlerESPN
There’s currently “no rush” to get a deal done from both sides
ESPN NFL insider Jeremy Fowler adds that there’s “no rush” on getting a deal done.
Patriots Have Spent Offseason Attempting to Bolster Receiving Corps
The new era of the “Patriots Way” now involves last year’s rookie Mac Jones leading the offense.
And now, Bill Belichick and company are doing their part in adding more weapons around the 2021 first rounder — including a blockbuster move the Pats made on the morning of Saturday, April 2.
Per Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network, the AFC wildcard team from last season made a trade with the Miami Dolphins to acquire wide receiver DeVante Parker.
Parker becomes the second new receiver addition in Foxboro, with versatile Ty Montgomery coming on board on March 17.
But do the Pats have enough room to add the 29-year-old Beckham? Here’s what the 2022 receiving lineup for New England looks like:
Patriots now head into this month’s draft with a group of WRs that includes DeVante Parker, Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor, N’Keal Harry, Ty Montgomery, Kristian Wilkerson and Malcolm Perry.
How the Rams Compare
While things may look on the overcrowded side in the receiver room in N.E. especially before the April 28 NFL Draft, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the Rams are considered to have more space.
After all, the team made two splashy additions that involved a combined $95 million: Adding Pro Bowl wide receiver Allen Robinson from the Chicago Bears and on Thursday, March 31 to put a cap on a wild 2022 opening free agency month, the Rams signed longtime rival Bobby Wagner from the Seattle Seahawks to a five-year, $50 million deal.
However, the moment Beckham got signed to his one-year deal after being released from the Browns, Rams head coach Sean McVay delivered this sales pitch to the three-time Pro Bowler per the NFL network’s Peter Schrager.
“It was actually several other players who called him, but McVay got on the phone with Odell Beckham two days ago (before OBJ officially became a Ram) and basically laid out the plans: ‘We’re gonna go four-wide, we’re gonna be in 10 personnel, we’re gonna get looks, we’re gonna bring you in here, we’re gonna go win a Super Bowl. Like, let’s go do this. What are we doing? Do you want to go anywhere else and maybe get more touches?’” Schrager said back on November 12, 2021.
The end results were the following for Beckham and the Rams:
- A combined 48 receptions in 12 total games in L.A. — giving OBJ an average of 4 grabs per game.
- A total of 593 receiving yards and 7 touchdowns. All of his end zone scores came after leaving Cleveland.
- Beckham winning his first career Super Bowl.
Beckham now is searching for his next NFL home and the Patriots have resurfaced. Although, in the past week, Rams general manager Les Snead, McVay and Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford have done their part in trying to re-recruit the veteran wide receiver back inside the “Rams House.”
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Rams’ Beckham Has Had Talks With Past Super Bowl Winner: Report