Odell Beckham Jr. is recovering from an ACL injury, might not be ready to play until late in the 2022 season and likely wants a big role with his next team. The Green Bay Packers are a Super Bowl contender and will almost certainly need help at wide receiver as the playoffs near.
Beckham and the Packers look like a perfect pairing.
There’s another layer to this, too: The Packers just signed cornerback Jaire Alexander to a massive new deal that will lower his cap hit in 2022 considerably. up. This can now work financially for both sides.
Why would Beckham, a free agent who can choose his next team, pick the Packers? For starters, he’s going to turn 30 in November. He needs to find the right quarterback, the right team and the right situation if he’s going to maximize his earning potential on what could be his last big deal in 2023. The Packers can offer Aaron Rodgers, an excellent overall roster and a chance to be a top target in the passing game for a Super Bowl contender down the stretch. If Beckham wants to rehab his value to end 2022, it’d be hard to beat what Green Bay can offer from a quarterback and winning standpoint.
Why would the Packers want Beckham after signing Sammy Watkins and drafting three wide receivers? Well, Watkins has missed 10 games to injury the last two seasons and hasn’t produced more than 500 receiving yards since 2019. He’s a wildcard who agreed to a signing bonus of just $350,000. Christian Watson, the team’s top pick at receiver, is going to need time as he transitions from North Dakota State. The same goes for Romeo Doubs and Samori Toure. With Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb atop the depth chart, there is no clear-cut No. 1 receiver on the team. Beckham may no longer be the superstar he once was, but he’s as close to a No. 1 receiver as the Packers will find on the market currently. He’d instantly give Rodgers and the Packers a legitimate playmaker who can beat single coverage and get open in high leverage situations.
It’s unclear when Beckham will be ready to play. But the Packers can afford to be patient. Brian Gutekunst has assembled a terrific football team, and with Rodgers under center, the offense will be just fine without a No. 1 receiver. The Packers, even after losing Davante Adams, are a good bet to win 12 or more games and take the NFC North crown again. This team doesn’t need Beckham to be good, at least during the regular season.
But adding him to the mix late could be what helps gets Green Bay over the top during the postseason and the margins get razor-thin. Beckham, if healthy at some point later in the season, could be equivalent to making a big trade at the deadline. It’s worth noting that the Packers have attempted to swing a trade for wide receivers each of the last few seasons at or near the deadline.
Last year, Beckham picked Los Angeles or Green Bay after being released by the Browns. The decision earned him a Super Bowl ring. He has another decision to make just months later. Returning to Los Angeles might still be in the cards, but a chance to play with Rodgers and potentially be a top target for the Packers has to be appealing on a number of fronts for a soon-to-be 30-year-old free agent receiver.
Beckham and the Packers can help each other in a lot of ways. Thanks to getting a deal done with Alexander, the Packers are now in a financial position to make this pairing happen, whether it’s now or at some point during the season.