As the great Homer Simpson once famously said, “I like stories.”
But too often in this world we ignore reality and the facts in search of a good sports story.
That’s exactly what’s happening with the idea of dishonorably-discharged Browns wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. landing with the Patriots.
OBJ and his $7 million contract hit the NFL waiver wire on Monday. By late Tuesday afternoon the former superstar may even splash down in the waters of free agency, depending on how teams across football value him.
But one place the onetime master of the one-handed catch likely won’t end up is in New England.
And that’s probably a very good thing for Mac Jones and the Patriots.
It’s obvious why the idea of OBJ entices so many, maybe even the great Bill Belichick who called Beckham a “very talented player” in his weekly Monday morning interview with The Greg Hill Show on WEEI.
The Patriots lack a representative No. 1 receiver in an offense that’s been sputtering a bit in the passing game of late. New England could use a playmaker to inject life into its attack and allow others like Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne and Jakobi Meyers to settle into more complementary roles for which they are far better suited.
Heck, New England knows better than anyone what an aging mercurial receiver with questioned talents can do for a team looking to charge up its receiving corps given its 2007 acquisition of Raiders cast off Randy Moss that couldn’t not have played out any better.
But while it’s fun to think about the fantasyland acquisition of a guy like OBJ – a move that would likely please the Patriots marketing department and jersey-selling Pro Shop peeps – the reality is a much different story.
Beckham hasn’t been a healthy, elite receiver in five years! Hasn’t really been all that good at all in a couple years. The details are very different, but it’s a little like when Josh Gordon arrived in Foxborough years removed from last being an actually All-Pro talent.
The legend of OBJ is far greater than the player at this point.
Oh, and while Moss was joining an offense led by a veteran GOAT QB with as much cache as anyone who’s ever led a huddle, the rookie Jones is currently just nine weeks into life in that commanding role at Gillette Stadium.
If the Patriots wanted to claim Beckham off waivers, they would need to jump through some salary cap hoops to make room for his contract.
If he hits free agency, they would probably need to jump through recruiting hoops to convince him that New England is the best fit for his services at this point in his fading career.
Either way, Belichick and Co. would be bringing OBJ to town to some degree on his terms. He would almost certainly feel emboldened and empowered to probably keep up the attitude and act that have been a part of his lackluster accomplishments despite high-end talents.
It just feels like Beckham has reached that precarious point where he’s more trouble than he’s worth, especially for rebuilding team like the Patriots where team chemistry, locker room and support of a developing young quarterback are part of the midseason success story.
By the way, Homer Simpson really likes donuts, too. And we all know that no matter how much we want donuts, they certainly aren’t good for us and we’re generally better off without them.
