The deadline has been set by a Pro Bowl selection with past ties to the Los Angeles Rams, and the teams Odell Beckham Jr. has been interested in have been wilted down according to ESPN NFL insider Adam Schefter.
Are the Rams, who still have a locker emblazoned in Beckham’s name at their Thousand Oaks practice facility, still in the mix for OBJ? Schefter gave this update on Saturday, November12.
Rams ‘Less Likely’ to Land OBJ for This Reason Per Schefter
The Rams were mentioned in Schefter’s report, as Beckham has set a deadline for teams to make a deal for him by the end of November.
However, the Super Bowl 56 champions with Beckham have been labeled as one of the teams “less likely” to re-land Beckham Jr.
The three-time Pro Bowl selection who won his first Super Bowl ring last season was ruled out for this reason per Schefter:
“The Rams and Green Bay Packers might also have been featured prominently in Beckham’s list, but as both teams fall further out of playoff contention, the less likely it is that Beckham will opt to sign with one of those franchises.”
Before Schefter’s report, the Rams were given the fourth best odds to land OBJ on November 8, ahead of three other teams.
The Rams are technically still alive in the early playoff race at 3-5. However, the defending champs have dealt with an injury pileup and inconsistency on offense in the first eight games — which could point to OBJ potentially being drawn away from the Rams.
But there’s another potential reason why the Rams are falling further.
Contender & Contract
Beckham wants to join a team that’s in prime position for a run at Glendale, Arizona come February, per Schefter.
“Beckham wants to play for a contender, and league sources are predicting that his eventual compensation package could be similar on a prorated basis to some of the free agent deals signed last offseason by fellow wide receivers such as Chris Godwin [Tampa Bay Buccaneers] and Mike Williams [Los Angeles Chargers], each of whom makes an average of $20 million per year,” Schefter wrote.
As far as which teams were mentioned as the strongest suitors, the top five choices according to Schefter are the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs and the rival San Francisco 49ers.
The insider added: “NFL evaluators believe Beckham’s talents are at least on level with players like Godwin and Williams, not to mention his marketability, which could only help his leverage. If Beckham were to play the final quarter of the season at similar prorated pay to Godwin or Williams, he could make about $5 million for the remainder of this season.”
If the ceiling is $5 million for the rest of 2022, this could put the Rams in a financial bind. Per Over The Cap, the Rams have $5,156,767 left in cap space. Last season Beckham operated on a one-year, $1,250,000 deal with the Rams per Spotrac.
“Teams also believe Beckham is looking for a multiyear deal, which could potentially give them additional flexibility in structuring a deal that would work for both the free agent receiver and his new club,” Schefter added.
The insider concluded how Beckham is “nearly ready to play” as the man who operated on Beckham’s knee Dr. Neal ElAttrache is preparing to clear him for all activities.
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Rams ‘Less Likely’ to Have Reunion With Past Pro Bowler: Report