We’ll soon find out whether Odell Beckham Jr. will be taking his talents to New England.
The Cleveland Browns cut ties with the talented but controversial receiver last week. He’ll officially hit waivers Monday and, if unclaimed, would become an unrestricted free agent at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday.
The Patriots don’t have the available salary cap space to claim Beckham, but they have been rumored as potential suitors for the 29-year-old if he hits the open market.
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick, whom Beckham has lauded in the past, was asked during a Monday morning appearance on WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” about potentially picking up the three-time Pro Bowler.
Here’s how Belichick responded to those prompts:
Question: No moves at the trade deadline, but obviously, the waiver wire is open for business. When you look at wide receiver or elsewhere, are you thinking about doing anything there?
Belichick: “We just got finished with Carolina and put a lot into that one, so I haven’t really talked about it. I don’t know.”
Question: If you were thinking about a particular player and you wonder about how they would fit into this locker room, is that a consideration for you when you’re looking at adding to this team? Do you think this is a locker room that any player can come into and the leadership will be enough for that player to be a fit?
Belichick: “Yeah, I don’t know. Every situation’s different. I wouldn’t really worry too much about what everybody else is doing. I’d evaluate whoever the players are and go from there.”
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Question: Odell Beckham has spoken so highly of you. What would you say a team would get if they were to pick him up moving forward as a player?
Belichick: “What would they get? I don’t know. It would depend on the team and what their situation was. I don’t really know.”
Question: But as a player, he’s obviously had some great seasons in the past. Recently, maybe not so much. But as a coach, what kind of player is he?
Belichick: “He’s a very talented player. I’ve obviously never coached him, so I don’t have any firsthand experience with that.”
A former superstar with the New York Giants, Beckham never meshed with Browns quarterback Baker Mayfield. Over his final two seasons in Cleveland, he caught just 40 passes for 551 yards and three touchdowns across 13 appearances.
Beckham “wants to spend the rest of this season with a playoff contender and in a winning environment, where he believes he would be happy and productive,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Sunday.
The run-heavy Patriots don’t have a dire need for receiver help but lack a true No. 1 wideout, which Beckham can be when he’s playing to his potential. New England also would need to weigh the risk of pairing Beckham with rookie quarterback Mac Jones after observing his struggles with Mayfield.
After beating the Panthers 24-6 on Sunday, the Patriots trail the Buffalo Bills by just a half-game for the top spot in the AFC East.
