As the Patriots look to upgrade their wide receiver position this offseason, it’s been tough to narrow down options. This year’s free agency class – highlighted by Jakobi Meyers – is a thin one, so more attention has been paid to trade candidates. However, there is one wide receiver available as a free agent who presents tremendous upside, albeit with significant risk as well. That player is Odell Beckham Jr., who has been unsigned since the end of the 2021 season.

Beckham hasn’t played since Super Bowl LVI at the end of the 2021 season, which he won with the Los Angeles Rams. He suffered a torn ACL in that game, the second such tear for him in a 16-month span. Due to the severity of the injury, Beckham remained a free agent throughout the 2022 season despite receiving some interest from contenders late in the year. Teams were reportedly concerned about the stability of his knee. Beckham was also reportedly looking for a long-term deal.

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• Beckham, 30, is now going to make another push to return to the NFL with a full season of rehab behind him and 13 months removed from the ACL reconstruction surgery. The two-time All-Pro is planning on holding a workout for NFL teams Friday in Arizona according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network.

  Per Doug Kyed of AtoZ Sports, the Patriots are expected to attend Beckham’s workout. While their attendance may be a simple fact-finding job, they were reportedly interested in trading for him during the 2021 season.

  Would Beckham be the Patriots’ answer at wide receiver? It’s tough to say. His upside is significant, but it’s been a while since he played at that level. His last full season came in 2019, when he caught 74 passes for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns for the Cleveland Browns. He only played seven games in 2020 due to his first ACL tear, then was limited in Cleveland in 2021 before being traded to the Rams mid-season.

  Coming off that second knee injury and now on the other side of 30, it’s tough to project Beckham’s production to match his 2019 season. The Patriots may be more willing to invest their money in a player with more recent production and success. However, if a serious market doesn’t materialize for Beckham, he’d be an interesting option on an incentive-heavy ‘prove-it’ contract (although that scenario is less likely).

  If Beckham isn’t the guy for the Patriots, there are a number of veterans rumored to be available via trade. We covered those options last week here.

• Alex Barth is a writer and digital producer for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Thoughts? Comments? Questions? Looking for a podcast guest? Let him know on Twitter @RealAlexBarth or via email at abarth@985TheSportsHub.com.

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