Getty The Seahawks could add Odell Beckham Jr.
After days of rumors, the Seattle Seahawks have finally addressed the idea of the team potentially adding Odell Beckham Jr. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll left the door open to possibly claiming Beckham but declined to reveal the team’s decision.
The Seahawks have until 4 p.m. Eastern on November 9 to put in a claim for the star receiver and sit at No. 9 in the waiver order. Beckham could sign with the Seahawks or the team of his choosing if he passes through waivers unclaimed.
“You’ll have to wait and see how this all goes, but at this time, I don’t know,” Carroll responded when asked about Beckham during his November 8 press conference. “I’ve been on the practice field, I don’t know what’s going on with any of it. As you would think, we’re aware of what’s going on, and we’ve been involved to understand it and competing to know what’s happening and we’ll let you know as it all happens. I gotta wait.”
After a long pause, Carroll explained why he was being so vague with his answer.
“So, I didn’t say yes or I didn’t say no, but that’s just because, you’ll see,” Carroll added.
Here is a look at Carroll’s comments on the Beckham rumors.
Pete Carroll is asked whether Seattle will claim Odell Beckham, Jr. He does not rule it out, ending his answer with this and a smile: “So, I didn’t say yes or I didn’t say no. That’s just cause…you’ll see.”
Seattle does have the cap space to take on the $7.25M owed to OBJ.
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Carroll on OBJ: ‘He’s as Talented as You Could Be in Years Past’
Despite not revealing the Seahawks’ decision, Carroll talked as a person that knew more than he was going to share. During a follow-up question, Carroll was asked in general terms what appealed to the team about adding “accomplished, veteran receiver[s].” In the past, the Seahawks signed Josh Gordon and explored adding Antonio Brown before he opted to join the Buccaneers. Carroll admitted Beckham was “as talented as you can be.”
“He’s a really good football player, he’s as talented as you could be in the years past,” Carroll noted. “So, you’re always looking for guys that can do special stuff. Forever, I’ve shared with you guys that were looking for uniqueness and people that are different than other people and give you different dimensions to their play.
“So, that’s what we’re trying to figure out, investigate and see if there’s a chance and all that kind of stuff, if it makes sense. In essence, I’m going to stall telling you what’s going on, just because.”
For those looking to “parse Pete,” The News Tribune’s Gregg Bell assessed Carroll’s response as “more door-opening” to the potential addition.
“For those into reading tea leaves, Pete Carroll was far less dismissive, more door-opening regarding my question–will the Seahawks claim Odell Beckham Jr. off waivers?–than I expected the usually-coy coach to be,” Bell tweeted on November 8. “‘You’ll see’ is how he concluded his answer.”
The Seahawks Are Odell Beckham’s Preferred Destination: Report
At the very least, there appears to be a mutual interest between the Seahawks and Beckham. Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio reported that Beckham’s preference would be to join the Seahawks.
“If this had happened last Monday, Odell Beckham Jr. would have instantly become a free agent, but after the trade deadline every player who’s released must pass through waivers,” Florio explained during NBC’s Football Night in America on November 7. “When he is released tomorrow [November 8] effective at 4 o’clock Eastern, teams will have 24 hours to make a claim, and it works like the draft order, the worst team gets dibs and so on. The Browns tinkered with Odell Beckham Jr.’s contract to save some of the money they owe him but also to make it unattractive for a team to claim the contract. Roughly a third of the league has the salary cap [space] to do it.
“He prefers to not be claimed. He prefers to become a free agent. The teams to watch I’m told are the Seahawks, the 49ers and the Saints, and I’m told he prefers the Seattle Seahawks.”