Odell Beckham Jr. Has Many Interested Shoppers But No Buyer At His Price
Here we are on the third day of NFL free agency and the fifth day since teams began negotiating contracts with available players, and dynamic wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is unsigned in a year wide receivers are at a premium.
Stunning?
Not if you ask multiple NFL teams.
Beckham is easily the most accomplished receiver remaining in free agency. Not many still on the market come with five 1,000-yard seasons and a career 13.9 yards per catch average.
But Beckham is also a gamble because he tore his ACL in the 2020 season and again at the end of the 2021 season. And he didn't play at all in 2022.
: Odell Beckham Jr. #3 of the Los Angeles Rams reacts after suffering a non-contact injury against the Cincinnati Bengals during the NFL Super Bowl LVI football game at SoFi Stadium on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Cooper Neill/Getty Images)
Beckham Has Lots Of Talent But Major Injuries
Weighing all this, the interest for Odell Beckham Jr. is actually quite strong because in the last few weeks his representatives have had conversations of varying degrees with the New York Jets, New York Giants, New England Patriots, Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills and Los Angeles Rams.
And yet, well, nothing.
Why?
This may shock you, but the reason is money. Lots of it.
Beckham's initial asking price, as relayed to some teams, has consistently been in the $18 million to $20 million per year range, depending on which team one asks.
Some teams believe the high number is merely a starting point while the lower number is Beckham's floor. Whatever the case, no one is willing to go there thus far.
Beckham is so far holding fast to his salary expectations because he thinks he's pretty good. And pretty good shouldn't be a bargain, especially when there aren't a ton of great receivers left in free agency and won't be many in the draft.
Beckham's representation also sees there are 14 wide receivers averaging $20 million annually and believe he should be part of that group because he's as good as most of those guys.
Difference Of Opinion On Value
Beckham is waiting for some team to have an epiphany and meet his price. Teams are playing the waiting game because many of them feel a certain way about paying big money to a good receiver, but one that is now 30 years old, comes with a questionable durability history, and hasn't played since the 2021 season.
And both sides believe they have time on their side.
But there is a timing issues involved because it is merely a fact that the longer this takes, the less money will typically be available in free agency. Teams move on and make other plans.
The Giants, for example, have signed Paris Campbell and re-signed Darius Slayton in recent days. The club also traded for tight end Darren Waller and his contract, which is costing them $11.8 million in cap space this coming season.
Odell Beckham Asks Friend To Get Joe Schoen
So the Giants are in no position to pay anyone $20 million per year.
Beckham may not see this as an obstacle. He got on Saquon Barkley's Twitter timeline and told the running back to "tell Joe call my agent." The Joe that Beckham is referencing is Giants general manager Joe Schoen.
The Jets are intrigued by Beckham because Aaron Rodgers told them to be. Do they need him?
No. Their receiver room is quite stocked.
Would Beckham be a nice luxury? Of course.
That's the thing. Beckham isn't a must-have player for any of the interested teams.
He'd be a fine addition. An upgrade.
But all the teams so far showing significant interest can go in other directions. And so the wait continues for now as Beckham waits for someone's other options to run out.
Or he changes his price.