Patriots Reportedly Have Talked With Odell Beckham Jr. About Contract

At the very least, the New England Patriots reportedly have considered the possibility of adding Odell Beckham Jr. this offseason.

The sides talked early in NFL free agency, and some mutual interest might remain,” according to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN. Beckham still is working his way back from the torn ACL he suffered — his second in two seasons — during the Los Angeles Rams’ Super Bowl LVI win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

“Watch for the Patriots here,” Fowler said Friday during an “NFL Live” appearance. “I’m told they at least had some exploratory talks early in free agency. … Beckham has interest in Bill Belichick, potentially playing for him. There could be some mutual stuff there. So, something to keep in mind.

“But there’s no real rush here, from what I’m told, on both sides — either with the team or with Beckham.”

Ahead of the Super Bowl, Beckham admitted he was “very close” to signing with New England after his early November release from the Cleveland Browns. A desire to compete immediately for a championship played a role in his eventual decision.

Moreover, Beckham long has revered Belichick, with all indications the Patriots head coach feels the same way about the 29-year-old wideout.

But is a deal realistic? It’s hard to envision Beckham being game-ready in the first half of the 2022 season, and there’s reason to doubt whether he ever will return to being a high-end NFL receiver. He would not be the quick, splashy fix at receiver that Patriots fans have been asking for this offseason.

That said, the Patriots seemingly have been after Beckham for years, and his value never has been lower. If the contract is reasonable, Beckham could be an intriguing low-risk/high-reward play, as New England looks to improve its Mac Jones-led offense.

Another concern: Matthew Judon has recruited Beckham this offseason, and the Patriots linebacker has proven to be far worse at recruiting than pass rushing.