Getty Odell Beckham Jr. was linked to the Seahawks.
As the Odell Beckham Jr. sweepstakes continue, some are pushing the Seattle Seahawks to bow out of the race for the controversial receiver. During a November 9 segment on ESPN 710 Seattle, NFL analyst and former Seahawks quarterback Brock Huard made the case for why the move does not make football sense for Seattle.
“Tell me one thing OBJ brings that DK Metcalf or Tyler Lockett does not have,” Huard questioned. “It’s a redundancy in skillset with a guy who’s going to want his, who has shown in two locker rooms that he is about who? Is it the name on the front (of the jersey) or is he about the three letters on the back? No thank you.”
If added to the Seahawks roster, Huard questioned whether Beckham will do everything the coaches ask in terms of blocking and being a team player. Huard pointed to DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett’s presence as another reason not to add Beckham.
“I just don’t think that that’s the answer,” Huard explained. “I don’t frankly want that in the room either with (receivers Tyler Lockett and DK Metcalf). I think you’ve got what you need in those two guys. …Is OBJ going to come in and run jet sweeps? Is he going to come in and block? Is he going to come in and do whatever it takes? Has he been so humbled now that he’s been out of New York and it didn’t work out in Cleveland? …You know what he wants? He wants his touches.”
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Beckham Still ‘a Few Days Away’ From Making a Decision: Report
Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll confirmed the team’s interest in Odell Beckham Jr., but it remains unclear how close the team is to potentially adding the star receiver. The Seahawks declined to claim Beckham, instead choosing to compete with other NFL teams to sign the receiver outright. ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported that Beckham had narrowed his list down to the Chiefs, Saints and Packers, leaving the Seahawks on the outside looking in on the splashy move.
Beckham was initially expected to make a decision by November 10, but now it looks like the receiver will take his time to choose his new team. NFL Network’s Kim Jones reported Beckham is still “a few days away” from reaching a decision.
“From @RapSheet & me: Indications are that Odell Beckham Jr. is ‘going to take some time’ to decide on his next team and that decision is ‘a few days away,’” Jones tweeted on November 10. “So, stay tuned.”
Wilson Made a Recruiting Pitch to OBJ
The Seahawks appear to have plenty of competition to sign Beckham, but the team is deploying their biggest star to recruit the receiver. ESPN’s Jordan Schultz reported Russell Wilson is making a recruiting pitch to Beckham.
“Sources say Seahawks QB Russell Wilson and Saints HC Sean Payton both reached out to Odell Beckham, Jr. to make their respective recruiting pitches,” Schultz noted on Twitter on November 10.
All indications are Wilson would like for the Seahawks to add Beckham, and given the tumultuous offseason the front office may feel pressure to make a strong push at the receiver. Huard noted that it would be a mistake to sign Beckham just to appease Wilson.
“Oh, but we’ve got to appease Russell Wilson,” Huard added. “We’ve got to do whatever we can for Russell Wilson. We’ve got to make sure we take care of Russell Wilson and keep Russell Wilson happy,’” he said. “That’s the reason you make the move? Does that make any football sense? Does it make any football sense to add him to that room with DK and Tyler?”