With several AFC teams loaded up on offense, Dan Orlovsky believes one club in the conference needs to keep up and make a splash.
A potential game-changer still resides on the NFL open market over a week into the new league year. Odell Beckham Jr. has yet to play in a game since Super Bowl LVI, but he took the entire 2022 season off to strengthen his surgically repaired knee. Although he turns 31 in early November, there’s still a chance we see a fresh, motivated and explosive OBJ in the 2023 campaign.
There’s a level of risk to signing Beckham, but Orlovsky believes it’s one worth taking for the Steelers.
“One, organizational structure, and the head coach knows what he’s doing,” Orlovsky said Monday on ESPN’s “Get Up,” as transcribed by Sports Illustrated. “There’s a standard, a culture, an everyday expectation he’s gonna walk right into. Two, cheap quarterback with Kenny Pickett right now, you’re trying to build around that because he is cheap and you’re trying to get him to play as well as possible.”
A day later, Orlovsky stood by his take during an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show.”
“The reason I said Pittsburgh is, you can’t compete unless you’re explosive offensively in the AFC. You don’t have a chance,” Orlovsky said, as transcribed by SI. “So, you’ve got an organization that’s rock solid. Head coach is a stud. You’ve got a cheap quarterback. Then, if you roll that offense out there with Diontae Johnson, (Pat) Freiermuth, (George) Pickens, Najee (Harris), and then Odell.”
Beckham could help the Steelers, but other teams might be more motivated to sign the talented wideout than Pittsburgh. One of those teams appears to be the New York Jets, who reportedly have “very real” interest in OBJ as they await the arrival of Aaron Rodgers.
