Odell Beckham Jr. presumably will land with a new team soon enough. But until that happens, we’re left to kick around potential destinations, of which the New England Patriots are among the most fascinating.
In fact, ESPN NFL insider Dan Graziano answered Tuesday on “Keyshawn, JWill and Max” that he believes the Patriots are the “best fit” for OBJ following the wide receiver’s Cleveland Browns departure.
“If he’s thinking about, ‘I’d rather play with Matthew Stafford, I’d rather play with Aaron Rodgers, I’d rather play with Russell Wilson,’ I can understand,” Graziano said. “But this rookie quarterback (Mac Jones) has shown something, and he’s getting the ball where it needs to go. And you talk about being the alpha. Like, they don’t have that right now in New England. I think with (Bill) Belichick, there could be a pretty good connection.”
The Patriots almost always are mentioned when a high-profile player becomes available, so it’s no surprise they’ve been a popular hypothetical destination for Beckham since the Browns announced last Friday they were parting ways with the three-time Pro Bowl selection.
After all, New England could use a No. 1 wide receiver, and Beckham is extremely talented, even though he largely underwhelmed during his two-plus seasons in Cleveland.
“We talk about ‘home run hitter’ for Odell, and he is that,” Graziano said. “But remember when he was with the Giants, he could do anything. You could use him at the goal line. He could take that short slant and take it 70 yards. So, you could find ways to use him that aren’t just, ‘Hey, let’s go take the top off.’ “
Beckham, who turned 29 last week, is several years removed from posting elite production with the New York Giants. There’s no guarantee he’ll turn back the clock with his new team and again emerge as one of the NFL’s best wide receivers. Just like there’s no guarantee he won’t become a distraction.
But, as the waiver process plays out and we wait to see where OBJ ultimately will take his talents, it’s easy to dream on what could be under the right circumstances. Perhaps he would flourish in Foxboro under Belichick and Patriots offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels.
