Getty The Seahawks appear to have missed out on Odell Beckham Jr.
Free agent receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has narrowed his list down to three teams and the Seattle Seahawks are not a finalist, per ESPN’s Dianna Russini. Beckham is still considering the Packers, Saints and Chiefs which leaves the Seahawks on the outside looking in for the receiver sweepstakes, barring a late change of heart.
“On the day in which he could make his final decision, free-agent WR Odell Beckham Jr. is honing in on the Chiefs, Packers and Saints, per league sources,” Russini detailed on Twitter on November 10.
ESPN 710 Seattle’s Jake Heaps refuted Russini’s report adding the Seahawks are still “very much in the conversation” with Beckham.
“Despite the list that came out this morning the Seahawks are still very much in the conversation with OBJ,” Heaps tweeted. “Ultimately comes down to OBJ’s decision but the Seahawks easily have the ability to make the best offer.”
Beckham could make his decision as soon as November 10, so the Seahawks will find out the truth soon. Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll offered a glowing endorsement of Beckham earlier this week.
“He’s a really good football player, he’s as talented as you could be in the years past,” Carroll responded when asked about Beckham during his November 8 press conference. “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.”
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How Will the Seahawks’ Decision Impact Wilson’s Relationship With the Team?
The bigger storyline is not whether the Seahawks land Beckham but how the decision will impact the team’s relationship with Russell Wilson. The franchise quarterback spent the offseason publicly pushing the Seahawks to be aggressive in making roster moves.
Seattle very well could have made an aggressive push to sign Beckham, and the receiver opted to sign with another team. The Seahawks have a losing record and two top receivers in DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett already on the roster.
What we do know is the Seahawks were not as aggressive as they could have been by declining to claim Beckham through waivers despite having the necessary cap space. USA Today’s Mike Jones reported that Wilson “urged” the Seahawks to add Beckham.
“But another potential suitor to keep an eye on is the Seattle Seahawks, according to a person with knowledge of the situation,” Jones explained on November 7. “The person spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on behalf of the team.
“The Seahawks have shown strong interest in acquiring the wide receiver, the person said. Quarterback Russell Wilson has urged Seahawks brass for a Beckham signing, and in recent days, team officials have done extensive research on the wideout. Beckham would prefer to play for a contender, and alongside a veteran quarterback.”
Pro Football Talk Still Has the Seahawks in the Mix for OBJ
Not everyone is ruling out the Seahawks as Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio consistently has had Seattle in the mix. Despite Russini’s report, Florio still believes the Seahawks have a chance to sign Beckham. The receiver is expected to make a decision soon, so fans should know his destination in the near future.
“Over the weekend, the Seahawks were the team Beckham preferred,” Florio detailed. “On Monday, coach Pete Carroll was just coy enough to make it clear the interest is mutual. The question is whether Carroll has truly had the kind of epiphany during a month without Russell Wilson that would make him embrace an offense that runs through the quarterback, and that will extensively distribute the football to three high-end receivers.”