Odell Beckham has admitted he’s dreamt about playing alongside Tom Brady.
Could that dream be realized in the 2021 NFL season?
The Buccaneers reaped the benefits of “the Tom Brady effect” in the 2020 campaign. Proven veterans Rob Gronkowski, Leonard Fournette and Antonio Brown all were coveted by Brady himself, and the trio wound up making important impacts over the course of Tampa Bay’s Super Bowl-winning season.
ESPN’s Jeff Darlington on Thursday was asked to identify a player who potentially could follow in those footsteps. While it doesn’t sound as though the NFL insider believes a Beckham-to-Bucs blockbuster is likely, he believes it isn’t out of the question.
“I’m going to say Odell Beckham Jr. and I’m going to say that because of the relationship between Tom Brady and Odell, fully understanding that it would take a lot to make this happen,” Darlington said on “Get Up!” “Keep in mind that Tom Brady did not before the start of this season pitch Jason Licht on the idea of Odell coming down to Tampa Bay despite the fact that those guys would like to back together at some point.
“I say this because I could see going into this offseason with Odell being in a situation where it feels like perhaps he’s more expendable to the Browns than he was last year. Perhaps Jason Licht would take the call, but to all of these points, I’m told that they do really like where they stand with Chris Godwin, with Mike Evans, with Antonio Brown if they can bring him back. If something changes, though, that would be the one I’d be watching.”
Godwin potentially could play a major role in whether or not Tampa Bay makes a run at OBJ. The 24-year-old is headed for free agency and has put himself in position to sign a lucrative, long-term deal. If another team ultimately outbids the Bucs for Godwin, maybe that will inspire Licht and Co. to call the Cleveland Browns.
A fascinating offseason awaits Tampa Bay, which couldn’t seem more committed to satisfying its starting quarterback. So if Brady proves to be hellbent on teaming up with Beckham, the Bucs front office might be inclined to pull some strings.
