Odell Beckham Jr. has found a new home. The three-time Pro Bowl receiver has signed a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Rams, looking to wash off the stench of his last two-plus seasons with the Cleveland Browns. It was the greatest of ironies. Cleveland, a perennial loser and historic laughingstock, finally turned it around. But Beckham contributed so little to that, and was so disenchanted despite the renaissance, he'd rather leave.
In classic Odell fashion, his father posted an 11-minute montage of the times Baker Mayfield missed him downfield. It was signature Beckham passive-aggressiveness and delivery by a second-party (remember Lil Wayne ripping Eli Manning?). Perhaps OBJ finds new life out in Hollywood. There certainly are plenty of examples of wide receivers who've flourished with a fresh start, and helped pad (or build) their Hall of Fame resumes. So, here's the top five:
No. 5: James Lofton, Bills -- The former first-round pick of the Packers in 1978 had already built solid Canton credentials. Five 1,000-yard campaigns, seven Pro Bowl appearances, an eventual spot on the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 1980s, and the Packers' Hall of Fame. But his career started to fizzle late in the decade. He was traded to the Raiders in 1987, and caught only 69 passes in two seasons. His career appeared over when the Raiders cut him and only the Eagles granted him a tryout. Philadelphia didn't even offer him a contract, but the Bills had an opening in 1989, when one of their receivers walked out on the team. Lofton was brought in and authored an incredible final chapter. He became the deep-threat for the NFL's most prolific offense, helping the Bills reach their first three Super Bowls, tallying his final 1,000-yard season in 1991. The exclamation point that punctuated his Canton career.
No. 4: Jerry Rice, Raiders -- The GOAT didn't need a second-life in Oakland. Had he retired after 2000, Rice still would've been considered the best ever to do it. But there was great football left in the tank for a guy who had collected every meaningful receiving record in 15 years with the 49ers. His three seasons with the Raiders, ages 39-41, equaled his two final 1,000-yard seasons and a Pro Bowl berth in 2002. That season, he also helped Oakland reach the Super Bowl. In an astounding campaign at 40 years old, he caught 92 passes for more than 1,200 yards. Rice had once again proven no one ever did it better for longer. His maniacal devotion to conditioning led him to nearly 900 yards receiving at age 41. Nearly impossible to imagine. For comparison, Larry Fitzgerald (another physical marvel) is in semi-retirement at 38 after a 400-yard season last year.
No. 3: Terrell Owens, Eagles -- The most unpredictable wideout in league history had five 1,000-yard seasons and four Pro Bowls by the time patience ran out in San Francisco. Like every other stop on his football odyssey, Owens had open friction with his coaches and quarterbacks. Before the 2004 draft, he was traded twice in March, and ultimately landed in Philadelphia with the Eagles. He promptly turned in one of the most memorable seasons for any wideout ever. In 14 games, Owens caught 77 passes for 1,200 yards with 14 scores, and the Eagles earned the top seed in the NFC playoffs. But he broke his leg and tore a ligament in his ankle that December. When the Eagles still made the Super Bowl, it set up one of the most remarkable performances ever. Less than seven weeks after the injury, T.O. played in 62 of Philly's 72 offensive snaps, catching nine passes for 122 yards on 14 targets against the Patriots. The Eagles lost the game, and the relationship between T.O. and Donovan McNabb would be severed forever. After one more season in Philly -- he only played in seven games -- he landed in Dallas. Over three seasons with the Cowboys, he averaged 70 catches, 1,200 yards and 12 touchdowns, making his final Pro Bowl. Either of these reboots could make this list, but his epic Super Bowl performance (and subsequent driveway sit-ups) are part of NFL lore.
No. 2: Randy Moss, Patriots -- The mercurial Moss may be the most talented receiver of all-time. His rookie season was a sight to behold, as he destroyed the league with the record-setting 1998 Vikings offense, scoring 17 touchdowns. Defenses simply had no way to shut him down. The pitch-and-catch between Randall Cunningham and Moss was breathtaking that season, as the dynamic wideout made defenses look amateur. He averaged 19 yards per reception, the highest mark of his career, while the 15-1 Vikings seemed preordained for the Super Bowl. They were famously upset in the NFC title game. The next six years in Minnesota were never filled with as many highs, and after too many run-ins with coaches, meter maids, and quarterbacks, Moss signed with the Raiders. In one of the most egregious performances of apathy, Moss claimed, "I play when I want to play." The Raiders went 4-12 and 2-14 in his two seasons, and he was shipped out as damaged goods to the Patriots. It immediately became one of the greatest heists in NFL history. He caught 98 passes for nearly 1,500 yards and a league-record 23 touchdowns as the deep threat in New England's record-breaking offense. The Patriots went a perfect 16-0, en route to a Super Bowl and the shocking loss to the Giants. He had three 1,000-yard seasons with the Pats before his career faded with the Titans and a return to the Vikings. But his stint in New England cemented one of the greatest careers of any wideout.
No. 1: Cris Carter, Vikings -- The fourth-round pick out of Ohio State never could've dreamt of Canton as an Eagle. After three tumultuous years, battling substance abuse, Philly lost patience. He was claimed off waivers by the Vikings for only $100, thus marking the beginning of the greatest turnaround in wide receiver history. Carter would begin a run of eight straight 1,000-yard seasons, all of which ended with Pro Bowl nods. He caught double-digit touchdowns in five of those campaigns, including a league-leading 17 back in 1995. The Vikings would make two NFC title games in those years, and Carter would be celebrated for the best set of hands in football. Carter's production, body-control, wondrous catch radius, and precise route-running simply left observers in awe. He was named to the All-Decade Team of the 1990s and eventually to the Hall of Fame. His career isn't on the level of a Rice, T.O., or Moss, but none of those guys had a greater second act than Carter.