Getty Tom Brady is fueling rumors that the Tampa Bay Bucs will make a run at Odell Beckham Jr.
Tom Brady and Odell Beckham Jr. went viral after the two were spotted sharing a moment prior to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ win over the New Orleans Saints on September 18, 2022. During the quarterback’s “Let’s Go” podcast, Brady was asked by Jim Gray about his conversation with Beckham prior to kickoff. Brady did not elaborate about the nature of their discussion but gushed over the free-agent wideout.
“It was great to see him,” Brady noted during the September 19 edition of his podcast. “I’ve known him a long time. He’s a Super Bowl champion, and everyone saw kind of what he put on the line last year. So proud of him, I know he’s gone through a lot of rehab this offseason with his knee, and I know that he’s itching to get back to football.
“He was there with one of my favorite UFC fighters, too. So, it was good to see both of them in Odell’s home state. Always good to see him.”
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Brady’s comments are only going to continue to fuel rumors that the Buccaneers are a possible landing spot for Beckham once the superstar gets fully healthy. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Tampa Bay showed an interest in adding Beckham prior to the team signing Julio Jones.
It is still worth monitoring as the Bucs are already dealing with injuries to Jones, Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Tampa Bay just signed Cole Beasley to add depth at the position, but a lot can change before Beckham is expected to sign with a team at the mid-season mark.
“He has continued to receive interest from several teams, contending teams,” Rapoport detailed on August 8. “I know the Bucs had some interest before they ended up signing Julio Jones.”
“…It’s going to be interesting to see what his strategy here is because he’s still recovering from an ACL tear, not expected to be ready for at least the first half of the season. Should be good to go around the second half, so does it actually make sense for Odell Beckham Jr. to sign now? Does it make sense for him to get under contract with a team just [to] know he’s someplace. Or it better for him to wait until, I don’t know, let’s say October or maybe even early November? Maybe another contending team suddenly has a need and there’s Odell sitting there and he can become basically what he was for the Rams last year.”
The Bucs Are a Top Contender to Land Beckham, Says Insider
Since the team’s very public breakup with Antonio Brown, the Buccaneers have been searching for a third receiver to play alongside Godwin and Evans. Tampa Bay is hoping Jones can be that player, but the star wideout has been sidelined after making a promising debut against Dallas.
Godwin and Evans’ recent injury history could also play a factor in the Buccaneers making a serious run at Beckham, even if all three playmakers are back at full strength when the star is ready to sign with a team. Tampa Bay Times’ Rick Stroud views the Bucs, Rams and Saints as the top contenders to potentially land Beckham.
“When healthy, why wouldn’t TB [Brady] lobby for OBJ, depending on the health of the WR position? Otherwise he could rejoin the Rams or stay home with the Saints,” Stroud tweeted on September 20 when asked by a fan about Tampa Bay’s chances of landing Beckham.