When the Los Angeles Rams defeated the Cincinnati Bengals in the Super Bowl back in February, amid the celebration, fans wondered if the team would be able to bring back their mid-season acquisitions of Von Miller and Odell Beckham Jr. While Miller signed with the Buffalo Bills in free agency, Beckham remains a free agent. But COO Kevin Demoff said on The Athletic’s “11 Personnel” podcast that he believes the Rams will be able to re-sign him still.
“The one variable that hasn’t changed is how much we love him and want him to be there,” Demoff said. “I think he’s expressed, over social, his desire to be here. Am I optimistic we can get a deal done over time? Yes.”
Demoff is the COO of the Rams, and he’s one of the top executives in the organization, so he understands what’s going on behind closed doors more than most. With Beckham rehabbing a torn ACL he suffered in the Super Bowl, Demoff thinks that the Pro Bowl wide receiver is understandably more focused on his recovery than rushing to sign with a team.
“With Odell, I think, given the rehab [and] the timeline of coming back probably mid-to-later in the year, I just think that the sense of urgency both from his side and probably from our side—and maybe other teams—is not right there, for him,” Demoff said.
Beckham played an integral role in helping the Rams win the Super Bowl, totaling 19 receptions for 236 yards and a touchdown entering the pivotal contest versus the Bengals. He was on track to put together a special performance in the Super Bowl before he tore his ACL in the first half as he had two catches for 52 yards and a touchdown.
The signing of Allen Robinson this offseason may have led some to believe that the Rams have lost interest in retaining Beckham. But with Los Angeles looking to defend its title, Demoff and the rest of the organization continue to be confident that they’ll have Beckham back in 2022 — and potentially beyond.