For every fan waiting to see if his/her favorite team will be the one to sign a former three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver unexpected at midseason, they can now exhale knowing the question of Odell Beckham Jr.’s next destination has been answered. On Tuesday, NFL reporter Ian Rapoport had word that Beckham has officially signed with the L.A. Rams.
The Chiefs were included in the hunt for Beckham over the last few days along with the Green Bay Packers, New Orleans Saints, New England Patriots, and perhaps others. The Packers were the first reported team to make him an offer, but it was for the veteran minimum and Beckham apparently wasn’t interested enough to sign there. The Saints, it should be noted, reportedly tried to trade for him as well but couldn’t make it work.
The Cleveland Browns decided to release Beckham after reaching an agreement with the wide receiver’s representatives on a restructured financial package that voided the final two years on his then-current contract extension.
The XXXX have won the Odell Beckham Jr. sweepstakes.
Beckham made the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons in the league, all with the New York Giants. From there, he was traded to the Cleveland Browns along with Olivier Vernon to the Browns for first- and third-round picks along with Jabrill Peppers and Kevin Zeitler. He put up another 1,000-yard season in his first year in Cleveland, giving him five such seasons in his first six years in the league.
Since then, however, injuries have taken their toll on Beckham as he has put up 40 catches for 551 yards and 3 touchdowns in 13 starts since 2019. He’s healthy now and should be able to instantly step in for the Rams, but suffice it to say that expectations should be measured for Beckham in his new environment.