Odell Beckham Jr. Interested In Chiefs, Packers, Saints; Patriots Reach Out
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.
Extra Points: Packers, Cook, OBJ
The NFL has finished their investigation into the Packers handling of COVID-19 protocols. The organization has been slapped with a $300K fine “for violations of the NFL and NFL Players Association protocols,” per ESPN’s Rob Demovsky (on Twitter). Quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wideout Allen Lazard were also fined $14,650.
Per NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo (via Twitter), the two players were fined for attending a maskless Halloween party. The Packers’ organizational fine also stemmed from the party; while the gathering wasn’t organized by the team, the NFL believes the organization should have penalized each player. Otherwise, the NFL determined that the Packers complied to all protocols, with Garafolo noting that there was “no widespread or systemic mask-wearing violations.”
According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter (via Twitter), the Packers organization was notified that “future violations could result in escalated discipline,” including the potential loss of draft picks.
The league looked at footage taken at the team’s facility to assure that masks were being worn and protocols were being followed. The NFL also interviewed Packers personnel as part of the process.
More notes from around the NFL:bay
- A woman filed a lawsuit accusing Vikings star running back Dalvin Cook of assault, battery and false imprisonment, per Schefter. Cook’s attorney said his client was the victim in the incident, adding that the woman also tried to extort millions of dollars from the player. According to the lawsuit, the woman traveled to Minnesota to break up with Cook, and the meeting soon turned violent. Cook is accused of causing a concussion and leaving a scar on the woman’s face. Cook’s side says the woman stole Cook’s garage door opener, broke into the player’s house, and maced him upon entering. Both the Vikings and the NFL acknowledged that they were aware of the lawsuit.
- New Raiders wideout DeSean Jackson will receive $1MM for the rest of the season, according to Garafolo (via Twitter). If Jackson decides to file for termination pay, he’ll end up earning more than he would have by sticking around Los Angeles. Meanwhile, interim head coach Rich Bisaccia told reporters that he’s excited to see what Jackson can bring to the squad. “I think we all have a lot of respect for his career and what he’s done, and I can remember him coming out,” Bisaccia said (h/t to Myles Simmons of ProFootballTalk.com). “So, we are excited about getting another speed element out there to be a complement to what we are trying to do on offense, certainly with the speed that Zay [Jones] has and what Bryan [Edwards] and Hunter [Renfrow] bring to us. It will be good for us to get another speed element going on offense. We are excited about getting him to practice.”
- Sam Darnold suffered a fractured scapula, and the Panthers QB will “most likely” miss several weeks, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport (via Twitter). Darnold had one of his worst outings of the season on Sunday against the Patriots, completing only 48 percent of his passes while tossing three interceptions. P.J. Walker will likely get the starting nod with Darnold out of the lineup, although the team did add Matt Barkley earlier today.
- Odell Beckham Jr. cleared waivers today, and the Browns will only be on the hook for $4.25MM, according to Mike Florio of ProFootballTalk.com. The two sides’ decision to rework the player’s contract ultimately saved the team around $3MM. Meanwhile, Garafolo notes that Beckham is considering both one-year deals and multi-year pacts.
Browns Officially Waive Odell Beckham Jr.
The Browns officially waived Odell Beckham Jr. on Monday afternoon, per the league wire. Now, the rest of the league has a 24-hour window to claim the wide receiver. If he goes unclaimed — a possibility thanks to his remaining $7.25MM in salary for 2021 — he’ll be free to sign with any club of his choosing.
[RELATED: Saints Won’t Claim OBJ]
The league’s waiver priority is determined by the inverse of the rankings. With the worst going first, the Lions will have the first opportunity to claim Beckham. However, that won’t be happening, according to head coach Dan Campbell (Twitter link via Eric Woodyard of ESPN.com).
Beckham is hoping to land with the Saints, 49ers, or Seahawks. The Saints won’t enter a claim for him either, due to cap issues, but they could potentially sign him if he clears the wire.
“No, it’s impossible for us to put a claim in on [Beckham],” Payton said. “You just have to look at the salary cap space. And if we were going to put in a claim, it wouldn’t be something we discuss. I know it makes hit-worthy news.”
Beckham reworked his Browns deal before he was cut, making him a 2022 free agent instead of a 2024 UFA. If he’s claimed, his salary will remain the same. If he goes unclaimed, the Browns will only be on the hook for $4.25MM of that salary.
Saints Won’t Claim Odell Beckham Jr.
The Saints won’t put a claim in for Odell Beckham Jr. today, according to head coach Sean Payton (Twitter link via Luke Johnson of the New Orleans Advocate). The Saints could still pursue the wide receiver if he goes unclaimed, but Payton says there’s no possible way for the team to free up the necessary cap space for his current contract. 
“The claiming deadline is today. No, it’s impossible for us to put a claim in on the player,” Payton said. “You just have to look at the salary cap space. And if we were going to put in a claim, it wouldn’t be something we discuss. I know it makes hit-worthy news.”
Beckham is hoping to join up with the Saints, Seahawks, or 49ers — the latter two teams are at least in the top half of the priority order. Still, they might prefer to wait things out and sign Beckham for less. The 49ers are projected to have just ~$4MM in space, so they’d have to clear space in a hurry, just like the Saints. In theory, the Seahawks do have enough room to take on OBJ’s remaining ~$7MM in salary — they’re currently $13MM below the max.
OBJ has also been connected to the Raiders, but they’ve since signed DeSean Jackson. High-priority teams like the Jaguars and WFT could also consider Beckham, but the WR wouldn’t be too jazzed about it.
Raiders Still In Play For Odell Beckham; OBJ Prefers Seahawks?
Wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. will be available to be claimed on waivers tomorrow. By Tuesday at 4pm ET, we will know whether a team has claimed him or if he will be a free agent.
Because a claiming team would be on the hook for $7.25MM — a sum that most clubs can’t fit onto their books at this point in the season — multiple execs tell Adam Schefter of ESPN.com that OBJ will likely go unclaimed. And if that happens, Schefter confirms that Beckham wants to sign with a contender.
If a non-contender should claim the enigmatic wideout — the 1-6 Jaguars and 2-6 Washington Football Team are two outfits that currently possess the cap space to add Beckham without dropping or restructuring another player — Schefter hears that there will be “issues.” He does not specify what those issues might be, but it presumably means OBJ would consider sitting out (though since he is now eligible for free agency after the season, it would seem that Beckham would want to produce as much good tape as possible and to prove that he is not a distraction, regardless of who he plays for).
Interestingly, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk has heard that Beckham prefers the Seahawks of the three teams — the Saints, 49ers, and Seahawks — that have been definitively linked to him. The 3-5 ‘Hawks have the worst record of those clubs, but they also have easily the best QB situation once Russell Wilson returns to the field. Obviously, any team that acquires Beckham would have exclusive negotiating rights with him until free agency opens in March, so perhaps he views Seattle as the best long-term fit despite the current sub-.500 record.
Florio says that the Raiders are also still in play. After parting ways with Henry Ruggs, Las Vegas has been connected to Beckham but reportedly prefers DeSean Jackson, who is already a free agent and whose abilities as a speed merchant may be a better replacement for Ruggs’ skill-set.
However, according to Florio, the Raiders are waiting to see what happens with Beckham before deciding how to proceed with Jackson. That suggests that Vegas is preparing to either submit a waiver claim — the club would need to create cap room to do so — or to make a push to sign Beckham if he clears waivers. The 5-2 Raiders are in first place in the AFC West and have a good QB in Derek Carr, so they would seem to meet Beckham’s criteria.
Latest On Browns’ OBJ Agreement
After a turbulent week, the Browns and Odell Beckham Jr. agreed to separate. The disgruntled wide receiver is not set to be waived until Monday, but he did not practice this week and is effectively done as a member of the Browns. It took some negotiating to complete this transaction.
A Friday agreement paved the way to the sides’ impending divorce, and some interesting details surfaced regarding Beckham’s status Saturday. While the Browns tweaked Beckham’s deal to make him a 2022 free agent (instead of a 2024 UFA, which the wideout’s Giants-constructed contract previously called for), his salary if he is claimed on waivers would go unchanged. A team that is awarded Beckham on waivers would be hit with the receiver’s $7.25MM in remaining salary. Beyond that, Cleveland made more changes.
If no one claims Beckham, the Browns will only be on the hook for $4.25MM of that salary, Ian Rapoport of NFL.com tweets. The Browns converted some of Beckham’s salary into a roster bonus, Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk notes. The NFLPA signed off on Cleveland’s restructure, CBS Sports’ Jason La Canfora tweets.
The bonus would be another team’s responsibility if it claims OBJ, increasing the likelihood he will go unclaimed Tuesday. Claims are due by 3pm CT Tuesday. Beckham will lose out on that $3MM bonus if no team claims him, further illustrating his desire to hit free agency. The Browns trimming years off the contract and using a roster bonus stands to help OBJ while saving the team some cash.
The Browns could have converted much of Beckham’s salary to a signing bonus, reducing the base to the point it would increase the likelihood a team claims him. This ran the risk of Beckham being claimed by a team near the top of the waiver priority list, a scenario the scuffling wideout almost certainly wants to avoid. The nature of this restructure also increases the chances Beckham will end up with a contender of his choosing.
AFC teams like the Chiefs, Patriots or Raiders could show interest, but NFC squads are also preparing to pursue him. The 49ers, Saints and Seahawks are expected to show interest in Beckham, in the likely event he hits free agency Tuesday afternoon. The Raiders also appear to prefer DeSean Jackson to Beckham. The Saints made a series of calls on receivers — Beckham and Darius Slayton among them — at the deadline, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com notes. New Orleans’ lack of a proven quarterback figures to hurt its chances, however. Beckham was also intrigued by the 49ers a while back, Fowler adds. The 49ers were linked to Beckham via trade before the Browns acquired him in 2019.
OBJ has pocketed a considerable amount of cash over the course of his career, but he turned 29 this week and has seen his value crater in Cleveland. The former Giants Pro Bowler has been unable to consistently show that form with the Browns, with injuries and a limited rapport with Baker Mayfield impacting this decline. None of OBJ’s issues in Cleveland stemmed from off-field matters, according to ESPN.com’s Jake Trotter, who adds Beckham and Mayfield were not at odds off the field. But on it, the two failed to click for most of the three-time Pro Bowler’s three-year Cleveland stay.
DeSean Jackson On Raiders’ Radar
Interest has emerged for DeSean Jackson, who is taking virtual meetings. Roughly seven teams have shown interest, Mike Garafolo of NFL.com notes (video link). One of those appears to be the Raiders.
The Raiders went through a Zoom meeting with the free agent wide receiver Saturday, veteran NFL reporter Michael Silver tweets. Given Las Vegas’ current situation, it is certainly not surprising the team is considering Jackson.
Jettisoned by the Rams this week, after they could not find a trade partner, Jackson cleared waivers. The 34-year-old deep threat wants to land with a contender, Garafolo adds. Other likely playoff teams are among those interested, Adam Caplan of Sirius XM Radio tweets. Retirement is not on Jackson’s radar. The 14th-year veteran and his agent are set to go through phone calls and Zoom meetings over the next few days.
Odell Beckham Jr. has emerged as part of the Jackson equation, with Garafolo adding the teams interested in Jackson will likely be in the mix for Beckham — should the soon-to-be ex-Cleveland Brown clear waivers. The Raiders appear to prefer Jackson to Beckham, according to The Athletic’s Vic Tafur (on Twitter). While OBJ’s potential free agency run could delay Jackson’s process, he should land elsewhere soon.
Although Jackson saw Van Jefferson eat into his role in L.A., he has stayed healthy for a change and showed the speed that made him one of this era’s best deep targets remains. Buoyed by a three-catch, 120-yard day against the Buccaneers, Jackson has averaged 27.6 yards per catch — albeit on just eight grabs — this season.
Following the tragic car accident that left a woman dead, the Raiders cut ties with Henry Ruggs, who has been charged with multiple felonies and faces decades in prison. Ruggs was the Raiders’ leading receiver, having caught 24 passes for 469 yards and two touchdowns this year.
Browns, Odell Beckham Jr. Rework Contract; OBJ To Be 2022 Free Agent
The Browns and Odell Beckham Jr. will officially part ways Monday. They spent days reworking the disgruntled wide receiver’s contract, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets, and the sides reached a separation agreement Friday afternoon.
The Browns agreed to remove the final two years of OBJ’s contract, Schefter tweets. Beckham, whose Giants-constructed extension previously ran through 2023, is now set to be a free agent after this season. The veteran receiver will officially be waived Monday. Waiver claims on Beckham will be due Tuesday afternoon, though the redone contract is pending the NFLPA’s approval, per Schefter (on Twitter).
This might all be immaterial given Beckham’s 2021 salary. He is still due $7.25MM for this season’s remainder, Schefter tweets. The transaction could not be processed Friday because of an NFL rule prohibiting teams restructuring players’ contracts and cutting them on the same business day. Regardless, Beckham will be off the Browns’ roster by Monday, ending a messy divorce that escalated this week.
Although Beckham was once one of the NFL’s most talented receivers, his value has dipped considerably. Injuries have slowed the 29-year-old wideout in each of his three Cleveland seasons. He played through multiple issues in 2019 and saw a torn ACL shelve him midway through last season. That knee injury kept him off the field for this year’s first two Browns games, and Beckham has also run into a shoulder ailment this season. In six 2021 games, OBJ has just 17 receptions for 232 yards and no touchdowns.
Last week, Beckham caught just one pass. The Browns could not find a taker for the eighth-year vet ahead of Tuesday’s deadline, and Beckham did not practice with the team this week. He will not play against the Bengals and figures to be on another team by this time next week. Whether that will come via free free agency or the waiver wire remains to be seen.
Only nine teams (excluding the Browns) hold more than $7.25MM in cap space presently. Though teams have myriad ways to create additional room, adding that salary in November is a pretty big ask. A team claiming Beckham could spoil his plans to find a way to a better situation. With the waiver wire determined by inverse record order, OBJ runs the risk of being claimed by a struggling team. However, the lofty second-half salary still provides a fairly good chance this saga ends with Beckham unclaimed and picking his next team via free agency. Even that might be a rental agreement that precedes Beckham signing with potentially a fourth team in March.
Browns Officially Release Odell Beckham Jr.
It’s officially official. On Friday morning, the Browns announced that they have released wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. 
[RELATED: OBJ Made Multiple Trade Requests]
“After careful consideration, internal discussions, and conversations with Odell and his representation, we’ve determined that it is in the best interest of all parties involved that Odell no longer play for the Cleveland Browns,” GM Andrew Berry said in a statement issued by the team. “We appreciate all his efforts and contributions while in Cleveland, but we’ve just reached a point where it is best that we move forward as a team without Odell. We are finalizing the process of granting Odell his release and we wish him well as he continues his career.”
Despite Berry’s diplomacy, it’s safe to say that the Browns are not huge fans of Beckham or his contributions. OBJ won’t be leaving Cleveland with fond memories either. After two-and-a-half seasons and 29 total games, he’ll leave with 114 catches and 1,586 yards, good for an average of 13.9 yards per reception. He scored just seven receiving touchdowns along the way, with per-game averages of 3.9 grabs and 54.7 yards per contest.
But, before he relocated to Ohio, Beckham was an absolute monster in New York. OBJ topped 1,300 yards in each of his first three seasons, including a career-high 1,450 yards in 2015. And, after his lost 2017 season, he still managed 77 catches, 1,052 yards, and six touchdowns in a 12-game 2018.
The Browns gave up 2019 first- and third-round picks, plus Jabrill Peppers and Kevin Zeitler, to acquire the star receiver and defensive end Olivier Vernon. He stayed healthy that year, but turned in his worst full season as a pro with 74 receptions, 1,035 yards, and four TDs. Now, that stands as his most productive season in Cleveland.
The rest of the league will have until 4pm ET/3pm CT Monday to claim Beckham. If he goes unclaimed, Beckham will be an unfettered free agent.
Browns’ Odell Beckham Jr. Made Multiple Trade Requests
No surprise here, but Odell Beckham Jr. asked to be traded multiple times, according to a source who spoke with Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com. One of those requests came this past offseason, as the wide receiver was rehabbing from an ACL tear. 
[RELATED: Browns To Waive Odell Beckham Jr.]
Beckham also asked the Browns to trade him after their 15-10 loss to the Steelers on Halloween, when he finished with one catch for six yards. The Browns listened on offers between then and the Nov. 2 deadline, but couldn’t find a suitable deal. Now, after revising his contract to shift a portion of his base salary into bonuses, he’s headed for the waiver wire.
The Steelers game was the straw that broke the camel’s back, according to Cabot’s source. The Browns mostly used Beckham as a decoy while the offense sputtered, and OBJ told the Browns that he had enough. Cabot hears that the relationship could have been salvaged, had Beckham been more involved in Week 8. However, based on what we’ve been hearing, it sounds like he still would have had a number of fences to mend, including a fractured relationship with quarterback Baker Mayfield.