5 Playoff Contenders That NEED Veteran Wide Receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

Odell Beckham Jr. is an enigma at the wide receiver position. As talented as he is, Beckham hasn’t always been viewed in a favorable light by fans, teams, and media members alike. Still, OBJ garners strong interest on the free agent scene from multiple franchises. Where will the former first-round pick end up when the dust settles?

Odell Beckham Jr. Returns to the Los Angeles Rams

The first team that jumps out as a suitor for Odell Beckham Jr. is the squad he last played for — the defending champion Los Angeles Rams. Beckham Jr. played a key role in the team’s title run, serving as the ideal No. 2 option alongside Cooper Kupp.

Unfortunately, the gifted pass catcher blew his knee up midway through the Super Bowl. Before his injury, Beckham Jr. recorded 52 yards on two catches, with one of them resulting in a touchdown for the Rams. The injury stings, but OBJ proved he still has plenty left in the tank to be a difference-maker on a contender.

Calling the Los Angeles Rams a playoff contender is incredibly generous since they’re sitting at 3-5 through nine weeks. Several Super Bowl pieces are still in play; could signing Odell Beckham Jr. be enough to get the offense back on track? Perhaps.

Beckham Jr. took to Twitter to let fans know that the Rams were lowballing the veteran in negotiations. Los Angeles head coach Sean McVay shot down these accusations by telling the media that he expected a better offer to go Odell’s way soon.

The timing of his ACL injury is what makes things tricky. There is a real chance that Beckham Jr. doesn’t see the field until January. That might be too late for the Rams if they don’t flip the script soon.

Their previous connection and the need for a playmaker make sense for the Rams. I rank them lower on this list because the urgency for immediate help is at such a high level. Beckham Jr. can’t save the team the next few weeks from the sideline.

Odell Beckham Jr. Goes Back Home to the New York Giants

Another former team for Odell Beckham Jr. checks in at No. 4. Like the Rams, the New York Giants are one of the biggest surprises of the 2022 season, but this time, for a good reason.

New head coach Brian Daboll made a name for himself in league circles the past couple of seasons. He served as the play caller in Buffalo and gets the credit for the development of superstar quarterback Josh Allen.

Daboll’s hiring brought tons of optimism to the Giants fandom, but even they couldn’t have expected the roster to churn out as many wins as they have thus far. The Giants are sitting at 6-2, tied for the third-best record in the entire NFL midway through the season.

One area that the Giants need to get more out of is the wide receiver spot. After trading away Kadarius Toney, the top pass catcher on the depth chart is rookie Wan’Dale Robinson. As promising as Robinson is as a prospect, the Giants will struggle to win a playoff game if there isn’t another option added to the fold.

Enter Odell Beckham Jr. During his previous stint with the Giants, the game-breaking wide receiver entered superstardom from day one. Since then, Beckham Jr. has grown not only as a player but also as a teammate. Fair or not, he has been labeled as a distraction in his career, but similar to what he did with the Rams, Odell would bring veteran leadership to the wide receiver corps.

Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley have diced defenses up on the ground, but they’ll need another wrinkle in the offense to avoid becoming predictable in a playoff setting. General manager Joe Schoen should reach out to Beckham Jr. and see if there’s any chance at a reunion for the Giants and their former first-round pick.

Odell Beckham Jr. Follows Von Miller to the Buffalo Bills

Speaking of Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills, they are all in toward chasing a Super Bowl this season. What better move than adding Odell Beckham Jr. to a receiver group that features arguably the best at the position, Stefon Diggs?

Last season, Beckham Jr. worked off the droves of attention sent Cooper Kupp’s way. If he joins the Bills, he can do the same with Stefon Diggs. Gabriel Davis is too inconsistent to be a true No. 2 option, but sending out Diggs-Beckham Jr.-Davis every snap helps everyone involved.

Offensive coordinator Ken Dorsey took over play-calling duties following Brian Daboll’s departure, picking up where the latter left off. Josh Allen is one of the leaders for the MVP Award, but he is fixated on a Lombardi Trophy and nothing else.

The Bills added Von Miller this offseason, another player acquired by the Rams last season that helped propel the team to the championship. Miller has lobbied for Beckham Jr. to join him in Buffalo. They may already have enough to reach the Promise Land, but adding OBJ makes them even harder to beat.

Odell Beckham Jr. Dons the Star on His Helmet for the Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys, even after losing Dak Prescott for a month, are one of the best teams in the NFC. Micah Parsons is the leader in the clubhouse for Defensive Player of the Year right now and deserves as much credit as any for the team’s success. The offense is doing its part in the run game, too. Now that Prescott returned, Jerry Jones should take a hard look at adding Odell Beckham Jr.

Reports recently came out that the Cowboys were in heavy pursuit of Odell Beckham Jr. It remains to be seen how much truth there is to this claim, but in a football sense, it makes a lot of sense for both parties.

On Odell’s side, Dallas would allow him to play in front of America every week. The brand may not be what it was at the peak of its power in the 90s, but the star on the helmet still goes a long way. Beckham Jr. would get arguably the best quarterback he’s ever played for and would return to a division where he began his career.

For the Cowboys, adding Beckham Jr. would help transform their bottom-third offensive attack into a more well-rounded threat. The run game remains the focal point of the offense, but with CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup, and Dalton Schultz, among others, offensive coordinator Kellen Moore can get even more creative if Odell Beckham Jr. joins.

As with any team inquiring about Beckham Jr., the health of his knee will be at the forefront. Assuming Odell can regain his 100% form before the playoffs, Dallas would be wise to add the home run hitter to their stable of weapons.

Odell Beckham Jr. Gives Lamar Jackson a No. 1 WR for the Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens should have already made this move. Odell Beckham Jr. would be the most talented player on the offense outside of Lamar Jackson from the minute he puts on the black and purple.

Greg Roman’s scheme doesn’t allow for a wide receiver to put up league-high numbers, but as is highlighted by Marquise “Hollywood” Brown’s target number in 2021 (146), there are still plenty of footballs to be caught in Baltimore. Unfortunately, Brown is no longer with the franchise, and their top receiver, Rashod Bateman, was ruled out for the remainder of 2022 due to a foot injury.

This leaves Mark Andrews — battling injuries himself — as the top pass catcher for Lamar Jackson. Heading into their week nine matchup with the New Orleans Saints, Andrews will miss the game, leaving Devin Duvernay and rookie Isaiah Likely as the best options in the passing game. That is unacceptable.

Props to Baltimore for beefing up the middle of their defense by trading for linebacker Roquan Smith. I expected to see a trade for a wide receiver follow this move, but that never came to fruition. Guys like Brandin Cooks and DJ Moore would have made sense, but it takes two to tango in trade talks.

The sense of urgency is rising weekly for the Ravens. Lamar Jackson is without a long-term deal at the moment, leaving his future with the franchise clouded. The 2022 season might be their last chance to go on a run with Jackson at quarterback; they should do everything in their power to convince Odell Beckham Jr. to come back to the east coast.