Getty Head coach Mike Tomlin and the Pittsburgh Steelers are being encouraged to sign a former $95 million star wide receiver in NFL free agency.
The Pittsburgh Steelers have already spent more than $105 million in free agency this offseason. But ESPN’s Dan Orlovsky is urging general manager Omar Khan to make at least one more big signing.
Orlovsky argued the Steelers should sign wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
“I look at the AFC, and I say you’ve got to add firepower or people to slow down firepower because of the Chiefs,” Orlovsky said while appearing on ESPN’s Get Up on March 20. “This [signing Beckham] automatically does that for Pittsburgh.”
“Just imagine this offense if you’re a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. Najee Harris at tailback, who’s still an awesome player. Then you’ve got George Pickens, who’s a budding star at that position. Diontae Johnson and Pat Freiermuth at tight end and you add Odell. Now we’re talking about an offense that’s got weapons and actual firepower to go chase down a Cincinnati Bengals to go chase down a Kansas City Chiefs football team.”
Beckham burst onto the scene as a rookie in 2014. During his early years in the league, he rivaled Antonio Brown as one of the best wide receivers in the NFL.
In 2015 and 2016, Beckham made second-team All-Pro and then signed a five-year, $95 million contract after his rookie deal expired.
More recently, Beckham helped the Los Angeles Rams win the Super Bowl during the 2021-22 season. He did not play last season because of an ACL injury.
How Odell Beckham Jr. Potentially Fits With the Steelers
Orlovsky explained that there were a couple different reasons why he liked the idea of Khan signing Beckham.
“One, organizational structure and the head coach knows what he’s doing. There’s a standard, a culture, an everyday expectation that he’s going to walk right into,” Orlovsky said. “Two, cheap quarterback with Kenny Pickett right now. You’re trying to build around that because he is cheap, and you’re trying to get him to play as well as possible.”
Adding Beckham would give the Steelers a three-headed monster at wide receiver similar to the Bengals, who had Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd the past two years. After back-to-back appearances for the Bengals in the AFC Championship Game, that the team the Steelers are trying to catch in the AFC North.
“There’s a lot of teams that we can say Odell is going to be a good addition,” Orlovsky said. “But if you’re the Pittsburgh Steelers, I’m sitting there going, ‘Man, if we had this guy, and he’s capable of playing the way he did on that Super Bowl run, our offense becomes very much so challenging the Cincinnati Bengals when it comes to firepower.'”
Beckham recorded 27 receptions for 305 yards and 5 touchdowns with the Rams in the final eight games of 2021. He also had 2 scores and a 100-yard receiving performance during the 2021 postseason.
He had 2 catches for 52 yards and a touchdown in the Super Bowl against the Bengals before leaving with a knee injury.
Estimated Market Value for Beckham
If Beckham regained his pre-injury form, there’s no doubt that he would take the Steelers offense to another level.
But the question is whether he will fully return to that form.
USA Today’s Jaylon Thompson reported that Beckham met with the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys and Buffalo Bills last year, but he never signed a contract and didn’t play at all in 2022.
Sports Illustrated’s Patricia Traina reported that Beckham held a private workout on March 10 that 11 teams attended. But he remains unsigned.
At the beginning of March, Spotrac projected Beckham’s market value to be about $26.3 million on a two-year deal. But now, Spotrac has raised its estimate on his value to $50.9 million on a four-year contract.
The Steelers have roughly $14.5 million in salary cap space for the 2023 season according to Spotrac. Pittsburgh, though, was not one of the teams who attended Beckham’s March workout.