After wearing out his welcome in Cleveland, it’s onto the next one for Odell Beckham, a once-prodigious talent hoping to resurrect his career elsewhere. He’ll have to clear waivers first, but if Beckham goes unclaimed—a distinct possibility given his remaining $7.25-million salary—the former Rookie of the Year could end up a Packer with Green Bay emerging as his preferred destination, according to league insider Jordan Schultz, formerly of Yahoo and ESPN.
Beckham, who rang in his 29th birthday on Friday (the same day the Browns handed him his walking papers), never quite meshed with Baker Mayfield, but perhaps he’d benefit from a change of scenery playing opposite Davante Adams in Green Bay. There’s reason to believe Beckham’s best years are behind him, but if the injury-prone deep threat has anything left to offer, there’s no doubt Aaron Rodgers would make the most of his remaining skill set. Signing Beckham would also represent a peace offering of sorts to Rodgers, who remains at odds with Packers management for not doing enough to upgrade his skill corps in recent years.
A five-time 1,000-yard receiver, Beckham has largely underwhelmed in his return from ACL surgery, corralling just 17-of-34 targets for 232 scoreless yards this year. Beckham’s departure from the Browns, who acquired him from the Giants under similarly messy circumstances two years ago, became inevitable when the team excused him from practice on both Wednesday and Thursday last week. Hoping to get him out of Cleveland, Beckham’s father, Odell Sr., stirred the pot further with a lengthy Instagram video, criticizing Mayfield for squandering his son’s talent. The Browns engaged the Saints, among other teams, ahead of last week’s trade deadline but couldn’t find anyone willing to take on his exorbitant contract.
Other teams are sure to be in play for Beckham, but few offer the opportunity presented by the Packers, a legitimate contender anchored by an all-time great quarterback. Despite his reported interest, Beckham has a decidedly unpleasant history with Green Bay with many citing the Giants’ “BoatGate” collapse in the 2016 playoffs as a turning point in his career trajectory.
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