We could be seeing TB12 throw to OBJ if one insider’s prediction comes true as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers head into the offseason as a desirable landing spot for superstar players. ESPN’s Jeff Darlington reported on Get Up that Tom Brady and Odell Beckham Jr. have wanted to play on the same team together, describing the receiver as a name to watch this offseason.
“I’m going to say Odell Beckham Jr., and I am going to say that because of the relationship between Tom Brady and Odell fully understanding that this would take a lot to actually make this happen,” Darlington explained. “Keep in mind, that Tom Brady did not, before the start of this season, pitch [Buccaneers general manager] Jason Licht on the idea of Odell coming down to [Tampa], despite the fact that those guys would like to play together at some point. I say this because I could see going into this offseason with Odell being in a situation where it feels like, perhaps, he’s more expendable to the Browns than he was last year that, perhaps, Jason Licht would take the call. But to all these points, I’m also told that they do like where they stand with Chris Godwin, with Mike Evans, with Antonio Brown if they can bring him back. If something changes, though that would be the one that I am watching, Greeny.”
Beckham played in just seven games in 2020 after suffering a torn ACL. The star receiver had 74 catches for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns in 16 games in 2019.
Godwin Is One of the Top NFL Free Agents in 2021
Even if Brady and Beckham would like to play together, the star receiver is set to make $14.5 million in 2021 and is under contract through 2023 as part of a five-year, $90 million deal. This makes it extremely challenging for the Bucs to pull off a trade for Beckham, even if they decide they want the star receiver.
Yet, Darlington is one of the few people who predicted Brady was leaving the Patriots long before it happened. There is likely some truth to this speculation, but Beckham is only a possibility if the Buccaneers let Chris Godwin walk in free agency. Buccaneers head coach Bruce Arians made it clear during the championship parade that he wants Godwin back in Tampa next season.
“Your a– ain’t going nowhere either,” Arians said as he interrupted Godwin’s speech.
Godwin is set to get a major raise from his $2.1 million salary he made last season. Despite having a quiet Super Bowl, Godwin emerged as one of Brady’s favorite targets during the season. The Bucs also have the option of placing the franchise tag on Godwin if they are unable to reach a long-term deal.
Arians Is ‘Very, Very Confident’ the Bucs Will be Able to Re-Sign Their Free Agents
Heading into the offseason, Arians expressed confidence that the Buccaneers will be able to re-sign their own free agents in order to make a run at a repeat championship. Godwin is expected to be one of the Buccaneers’ top priorities.
“I’m very, very confident,” Arians explained, per CBS Sports. “I have all the trust in the world in Jason [Licht] and what he would do. These guys, they have a bond. There will be dollars involved. But I think that this group is so, so close that sometimes dollars don’t matter. But we’re going to do everything we can to get the dollars right, too, because they earned it.”
All that to say, we are more likely to see the Buccaneers attempt to re-sign Antonio Brown at a much more affordable rate than make a blockbuster trade for Beckham. As we have seen around the NFL, situations are always fluid, and Beckham is a name to keep an eye on if the Bucs’ negotiations do not go as planned.
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Buccaneers & Tom Brady Linked to 3x Pro Bowl Star Receiver: Report