New England Patriots News & Rumors

A first-time free agent, Odell Beckham Jr. could pick a new destination Wednesday. Some finalists appear to have emerged. The recently released wide receiver has prioritized landing with the Chiefs, Packers or Saints, Dianna Russini of ESPN.com tweets.

Although the Patriots have reached out, according to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe, talks between they and OBJ’s reps were more exploratory in nature (Twitter links). New England, which has strung together some wins after a slow start, has significant competition for the eighth-year pass catcher. Beckham cleared waivers Tuesday.

The Packers have made an offer, with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel’s Tom Silverstein reporting it is for the veteran minimum (Twitter link). The Browns are still on the hook for $4.25MM of OBJ’s salary, turning this into a recruiting skirmish of sorts.

The Saints have had Beckham on their radar for a bit, and NOLA.com’s Jeff Duncan notes they indeed are among the teams Beckham is considering. They also might be more interested in Beckham than the Chiefs or Packers, given their connection to the struggling receiver prior to his Ohio exit. The LSU alum is a New Orleans native, and the 5-3 Saints have a glaring need for a No. 1 wide receiver — a deficiency the Chiefs and Packers do not possess. But New Orleans does not have a quarterback close to the level of Aaron Rodgers or Patrick Mahomes, potentially limiting its appeal as Beckham looks to re-establish his value.

Both the Chiefs and Packers would benefit from a No. 2 wideout, though the two-time reigning AFC champions are suddenly a bit needier here given their recent performance. Mahomes has run into the biggest slump of his career, as teams continually take away his long-feared long-range game, and Mecole Hardman has not worked out the way the franchise hoped opposite Tyreek Hill. The Packers’ offense struggled without Rodgers, and Davante Adams still has a sizable lead on every other Packer pass catcher in terms of yardage. Adams’ 786 yards are 500-plus more than any other Green Bay player’s total through Week 9.

Though money stands to factor in to some degree, Beckham prioritizing fit here makes more sense. Having turned 29 last week, the former Pro Bowler saw his value dip considerably in Cleveland. The ex-Giants superstar is running short on time to prove he can still be an impact player. Late-season production this year would certainly help Beckham’s cause in free agency come March, in the event he signs a one-year deal and hits free agency again at that point.

Seattle and Las Vegas also emerged on the radar for Beckham, and a Sunday report indicated he was interested in the Seahawks. The Raiders signing DeSean Jackson seemingly takes them out of the mix.