The Dallas Cowboys need help at the wide receiver position. Odell Beckham Jr. needs a new NFL home. It appeared to be a match made in heaven. But after the two met earlier this week, did they discover they’re actually a bad match?
The Cowboys are looking for a player they can add to their receiver corps this season to help them make a Super Bowl push. And after his championship run last season as a member of the Los Angeles Rams, where he racked up 52 yards and a touchdown on two catches in the 23-20 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, Beckham seemed like the ideal free agent candidate for Dallas to sign.
Yet, the outstanding issue is Beckham suffered an ACL injury to his left knee in Super Bowl matchup. And the timetable that he is expected to return this season may not allow him to make the kind of immediate impact the Cowboys are needing.
Per ESPN’s Ed Werder on Tuesday, the Cowboys are concerned that Beckham’s knee has not healed enough to allow him to play before mid-January according to a unnamed source. And that signing him would effectively be for next year and beyond, not this season.
This could be a deal breaker for the Cowboys. Not only is signing Beckham this season a gamble for Dallas, it also impacts their ability to re-sign former first-round pick CeeDee Lamb, who is currently playing in his third NFL season. Any contract Beckham signs will surely impact the team’s leverage over Lamb.
Plus, this upcoming offseason, Beckham would have plenty competition. Although he’d be the biggest name at his position in free agency, he’ll also have to compete with a much younger and cheaper rookie class. And that doesn’t bode well for a 30-year old receiver coming off back-to-back ACL injuries to the same knee.
If Odell Beckham Jr. is unable to play this season, it significantly drops his value to the Dallas Cowboys. If his contract demands don’t match this same drop in value, and he effectively is signing for the 2023 NFL season, the Cowboys might be better served to pass on Odell and take their chances on finding a healthier, cheaper option in next year’s draft class.
