The Miami Dolphins and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. have mutually agreed to part ways, according to NFL Media. Miami officially waived OBJ on Friday, allowing the three-time Pro Bowler to seek another opportunity with a different team.
The 32-year-old began the 2024 NFL season on the physically unable to perform list and was activated on Oct. 5. In his first three games, he recorded 33 snaps with no receptions. His role behind fellow wideouts Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle clearly didn’t work out, as he only had nine catches for 55 yards and no touchdowns.
Beckham is still owed around $200,000 for this season after signing a one-year, $3 million contract in May.
Beckham Jr. has now spent just one season or less with his past three teams. He joined the Rams during the 2021 season, coming from the Cleveland Browns, where he spent just over two years. He tore his ACL in Super Bowl LVI and was forced to miss the entire 2022 season due to the injury. The Ravens signed OBJ to a one-year, $18 million deal in 2023 and released him this March. For his career, he has 575 receptions for 7,987 yards and 59 touchdowns in 119 total games, including 97 starts.
He will be on waivers until Monday, and if he clears he can sign with any of the 31 other teams. Here are a few clubs who may be interested in his services as the NFL regular season winds down.
Baltimore Ravens
The Diontae Johnson trade has absolutely blown up in Baltimore’s face, with the wideout now enduring a team-issued suspension for Week 15 after refusing to enter the club’s game against Philadelphia. Even before this, Johnson was a non-factor in the offense, catching one pass in four appearances. Where the two sides go from here is anyone’s guess, but the Ravens could still use some depth at receiver. Beckham is familiar with the offense after spending last season with the Ravens, catching 35 balls for 565 yards and three touchdowns. Baltimore is in the thick of the playoff race, so bringing in a pass catcher who is already up to speed with the offense could be worthwhile.
Los Angeles Rams
Similar to Baltimore, Beckham and the Rams know one another. The wideout spent half of the 2021 season with Los Angeles and helped the team to its Super Bowl LVI title. Of course, the Rams have Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp atop their receiver depth chart, but Beckham could be a solid depth piece as L.A. makes a playoff push. He has familiarity with Sean McVay’s offense and did have a strong rapport with Matthew Stafford, so this is another destination that could get Beckham up and running in relatively short order.
Whenever a wide receiver has become available over the last calendar year, the Steelers have either been on the periphery or firmly in the mix. When they went big-game hunting at the position, the Steelers struck out and settled for Mike Williams at the deadline. With that in mind, there remains a need at the position, especially with top wideout George Pickens missing time with a hamstring injury. Pittsburgh is in the driver’s seat in the AFC North, but Baltimore is within striking distance, so it can’t afford to let up over the final four weeks of the regular season. If Beckham is looking for a destination to immediately command a larger target share, Pittsburgh makes a lot of sense.
Why not? The Chiefs addressed their need at receiver at the deadline by trading for DeAndre Hopkins and are expected to soon see the return of Hollywood Brown, but why not pursue Beckham? He’d deepen the stable of receivers to ensure that there’s talent at the position for Patrick Mahomes as K.C. gears up to try and win its third-straight Super Bowl. For Beckham, this is an opportunity to contend for another Super Bowl ring and play alongside the league’s best quarterback. Sort of hard to deny it when you put it in those terms.
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Author: Shanna McCarriston
December 13, 2024 | 12:06 pm
