Getty Tom Brady returned to practice after 11 days away.
Playing against the New Orleans Saints has been a bit of a house of horrors for Tom Brady since joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but there was a bright spot in NOLA before the Week 2 NFC South showdown. Brady greeted star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. just before the Buccaneers squared off with the Saints.
Beckham was in attendance at the Caesars Superdome, which was not unusual given that he grew up in nearby Baton Rouge. He also has a close relationship with receiver Jarvis Landry, who signed with the Saints over the offseason.
Throughout his career, Beckham has made no secret about his desire to play with Brady, flirting with the Patriots during Brady’s time in New England. The Buccaneers have been mentioned as a possible landing spot for Beckham, who remains an unsigned free agent as he recovers from an ACL injury.
Tampa Bay tweeted out a video of the pregame exchange between the two stars which has since gone viral.
NFL Insider: ‘OBJ Is in Tom’s Circle’
.@JeffDarlington says keep an eye out for OBJ to Tampa Bay should he get released 👀
“I have never heard of another QB that Odell Beckham Jr. respects, and has aspired to play with, [more] than Tom Brady.”
Tampa Bay is already dealing with a litany of injuries to their top three receivers: Chris Godwin, Mike Evans and Julio Jones. Godwin and Jones were sidelined for the Bucs’ Week 2 matchup against the Saints.
Because Beckham is unlikely to be ready to suit up until close to November, he would not be an immediate solution for the Bucs’ receiver woes. During the offseason, Yahoo Sports NFL insider Charles Robinson mentioned the Buccaneers as a potential contender to sign Beckham midseason.
“If OBJ rides this out — let’s say he rides it out, he’s looking healthy, he still hasn’t signed and it’s like, ‘Hey, I’m back in the mix in November. I’m running,'” Robinson explained during a June 15 episode of the “You Pod to Win the Game” podcast. “I think if Tampa Bay is where they expect to be in November, I absolutely think that Tampa Bay is the kind of team that could say, ‘Hey, man, let’s just go do this. Let’s go win this.’
“And Tom Brady and Odell Beckham Jr. are close. They have a really good relationship. Gisele and OBJ are close, they’re really good friends. And I think Tom is very influential when it comes to people that are in his circle, OK, and OBJ is in Tom’s circle.”
Beckham on Brady: ‘He’s Been There as a Mentor’
Tampa Bay still has an estimated $6.2 million available in cap space, per Spotrac, to potentially sign Beckham or another veteran. Beckham is likely looking to sign a short prove-it deal for 2022 and then, once again, become a free agent when he is fully healthy next offseason. Prior to the Bucs-Rams playoff matchup in January, Beckham spoke about his relationship with Brady, labeling the quarterback a “big brother” to him during his career.
“He’s somebody who’s given me great insight whenever you wanted to chat,” Beckham explained during a January 21 interview with NBC Sports’ Chris Simms. “He’s been there as a mentor, as a big brother and like I said, I’ve literally [felt] like whether I knew it or not. Like as much as he was the guy that I watched all the time, and no, I didn’t used to like him, because he was always winning or he would beat my team.
“The Rams was the team that I love, and he beat the Rams, and it just was like, there’s all that backstory behind it. But just to be able to sit there and, you know, we’re watching, one of a kind. Just to be able to watch him go to work.”