NFL insider drops ‘revenge’ hint linking Odell Beckham Jr. to Patriots
When it comes to any and all talk of player movement, I’m not sure ESPN’s Adam Schefter, one of the most well-connected people in the NFL, drops hints for the hell of it. This is not a man that needs to pile up some retweets.
So, why wouldn’t you read into this nugget Schefter dropped in his story on Odell Beckham Jr.’s post-Cleveland move?
“If Beckham is seeking immediate revenge against his former team, he could choose to sign with the Patriots, who host the Browns next Sunday in Week 10,” Schefter wrote.
Schefter even included that tidbit in a separate tweet linking to his story. Nobody just does that. Just drop the bomb, man.
But the 29-year-old OBJ has more than revenge on the mind, according to Schefter.
“Beckham wants to spend the rest of this season with a playoff contender and in a winning environment, where he believes he would be happy and productive,” Schefter wrote. “If a team that does not fit this criteria claims Beckham and the $7.25 million remaining on his contract, there could be potential issues for that team, according to a source, although it is unclear exactly what those issues would be.”
The Patriots, for what it’s worth, are currently still within striking distance in the AFC playoff picture, at 4-4, and with a schedule that projects to loosen up a bit beginning with Sunday’s head-to-head with the Panthers. There’s also the mutual admiration between OBJ and the Patriots’ Bill Belichick, as noted by CLNS Media’s Evan Lazar.
New England also ‘boasts’ a relatively modest wide receiving group in terms of established threats for targets, meaning Beckham Jr. would have plenty of opportunities to make an impact.
In action for six games this season, Beckham Jr. has caught 17 of his 34 targets for 232 yards, and accelerated his Cleveland exit following an Oct. 31 head-to-head with the Broncos that saw him targeted just once. That was the lowest target total of OBJ’s 88-game career, excluding injury-shortened appearances like the one that ended his 2020 campaign with a torn ACL.
The 12th overall pick from the 2014 NFL Draft, Beckham has totaled 504 catches, 7,062 yards, and 51 touchdowns in an eight-year career split between the Giants and Browns.
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Ty Anderson is a writer and columnist for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Yell at him on Twitter: @_TyAnderson.
