Report: Odell Beckham Jr. hoping to sign with Saints, 49ers, or Seahawks
NBC Sports’ Mike Florio reported on “Football Night in America” pregame show before Sunday night’s matchup between the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Rams that soon-to-be-released wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has narrowed down his list of preferred destinations to three teams, with the New Orleans Saints among them. But the Saints aren’t his first choice.
“He’d prefer to not be claimed, he’d prefer to become a free agent. The teams to watch, I’m told, are the Seahawks, the 49ers, and the Saints. And I’m told he prefers the Seattle Seahawks,” Florio said.
That’s interesting, given previously reported insight to what Beckham is looking for. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday that Beckham was eyeing playoff contenders where he could “be happy and productive,” which doesn’t describe two of those teams.
The Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers are tied for last place in the NFC West with 3-5 records, and while Seattle will get Russell Wilson back soon that won’t make their defense competitive. San Francisco collapsed against the visiting Arizona Cardinals who didn’t field either Kyler Murray or DeAndre Hopkins. Of those three teams on Florio’s list, only the 5-3 Saints appear to have what Beckham is looking for.
Now, sure: he’d be in for plenty of targets in San Francisco or a solid third-wheel role in Seattle with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, and Wilson is the kind of quarterback many receivers dream of teaming up with. But neither of those teams could offer him an established, winning culture with a real, tangible chance at making the playoffs like the Saints are able to.
New Orleans did drop the ball in Sunday’s loss to the Atlanta Falcons, costing them a temporary seat on top of the NFC South, but that was a common theme with the Saints receiving corps dropping five passes in the first half alone. There’s very, very large room for growth there and Beckham would be the unchallenged top receiver in the unit if he ultimately chose New Orleans. But if nothing else is clear, it’s that he has options — if he ultimately clears waivers, which seems to be widely expected.
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