Odell Beckham Jr. has not landed with a team since the Dolphins waived him following last year’s trade deadline. The veteran wide receiver will have a tougher time catching on following a news development today.
The well-traveled pass catcher said during an appearance on The Pivot podcast he will accept a six-game PED suspension stemming from a positive test last year. The suspension will begin this week, per NFL.com’s Tom Pelissero.
Beckham said during his podcast appearance he has never knowingly taken a performance-enhancing drug. This marks the second suspension of Beckham’s career; he drew a one-game ban for his on-field skirmish with Josh Norman in 2015.
Still planning to play this season, Beckham will be unable to do so until well into November. It is certainly possible the former superstar has played his final NFL down, as he was unproductive with the Dolphins before the team cut him last December. No club claimed OBJ, and he has resided in free agency since.
During a previous podcast appearance, Beckham said teams were looking into him. The former Giants Pro Bowler mentioned a conversation with Aaron Rodgers about a potential Steelers gig, but nothing came of it. It would surprise if Beckham landed a near-future agreement in light of this PED development. Beckham, 33 in November, finished last season with just nine receptions for 55 yards. Hoping OBJ would become a solid WR3 alongside Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, Miami moved on.
Last year brought a knee procedure that led Beckham to begin his Dolphins season on the reserve/PUP list. The production decline proved disappointing for Miami and rather surprising, as the former Super Bowl champion posted 565 receiving yards on 35 catches with the Ravens. That production came in just 14 games. Not many glimpses of that form came in Miami, however, and the 10-year veteran — who missed the 2022 season due to the ACL tear sustained in Super Bowl LVI — has seen injuries provide steady impediments as his career has progressed.
Sustaining ACL tears during the 2020 and ’21 seasons, Beckham rebounded to make an impact with the Ravens in 2023. He came on down the stretch that year, averaging a career-high 16.1 yards per reception. But Baltimore opted to increase Rashod Bateman‘s role in 2024, letting Beckham walk in free agency. This PED ban will decrease the chances another comeback is in store for a player who delivered one of the great early-career stretches of any receiver in NFL history. But that period ended nearly 10 years ago.
The three-time Pro Bowler did post a 1,000-yard season with the Browns in 2019, running his count of four-digit seasons to five. In 2021, a strange in-season divorce (featuring barbs from the WR’s camp thrown at then-starter Baker Mayfield) led him to the Rams. That change proved pivotal, with Beckham replacing an injured Robert Woods to fare well alongside Cooper Kupp. OBJ caught nine passes for 113 yards to lift the Rams over the 49ers in the NFC championship game and was on pace for a better Super Bowl showing before suffering the ACL tear. After extensive Beckham interest came in 2022, the Ravens gave him $15MM guaranteed in ’23. He signed a one-year, $3MM Dolphins deal in March 2024.
Oh snap
He can do all the drugs he wants now……I think his playing days are pretty much over anyway
I think the party’s over, dude. Move on.
What is really interesting about some of these athletes that used PED’s – or use still – is that they claim they did not know they were using prohibited substances. Why they don’t admit for once they used it? Gee c’mon men…
I’d use whatever PED too if they helped me recover from the injury, get back in peak shape faster. It’s worth the 6 game suspension so long as he’s fit and ready to go for a team. That said, as a Bills fan, I’m not particularly interested.