The Odell Beckham Jr. sweepstakes appear to be nearing their conclusion. The veteran wide receiver is reportedly close to being medically cleared and plans to sign with a new team by the end of November. NFL Media recently reported OBJ would meet with the Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants after Thanksgiving weekend.
While a number of clubs make sense for Beckham, where should he sign? If he wants to maximize both his earning potential and his legacy, which team stands out as the best fit?
Odell Beckham Jr.’s Best Team Fits
Let’s assume every interested team will offer Beckham roughly the same contract. If money isn’t an issue, he’ll be looking for two things in his next club: the chance to win his second consecutive Super Bowl and a decent target share that will allow him to earn a significant contract next spring.
While the Cowboys and Giants seem to be the favorites at this time, there are six other teams that make sense as well. We’ll run through all eight teams that stand out as the best destinations for Beckham, starting with the likely AFC South winner.
8. Tennessee Titans
The Titans throw at a lower rate than any serious contender, but those numbers are dragged down by two Malik Willis starts in which the rookie had just 97 passing yards. With Ryan Tannehill back under center, expect Tennessee to drop back more often, as evidenced by Tannehill’s 320 yards against the Packers in Week 11.
First-round rookie Treylon Burks posted the best effort of his young career with seven catches and 111 yards against Green Bay, and Robert Woods is a more than capable option. Beckham would give the Titans a little more juice, and Burks’ emergence means OBJ wouldn’t have to play a full complement of snaps early on.
Tennessee is virtually assured of a playoff berth, so Beckham would get to star on the postseason stage. Still, given the Titans’ Derrick Henry-centered game plans, they may not be an ideal fit for OBJ.
7. Minnesota Vikings
Despite getting stomped by the Cowboys on Sunday, the Vikings are still the overwhelming favorite to end up as the NFC’s No. 2 seed. Beckham played under Kevin O’Connell when both were with the Rams last season, so he’d have an instant familiarity with Minnesota’s scheme.
However, the Vikings may already have too many weapons. Justin Jefferson is the NFL’s best receiver, Adam Thielen is a more than capable No. 2, and trade deadline acquisition T.J. Hockenson has garnered at least nine targets in all three games since coming over from the Lions.
OBJ would represent an improvement over third wide receiver K.J. Osborn, but that isn’t a heavily-targeted role in Minnesota’s offense. Beckham needs to be involved on a weekly basis, and the Vikings wouldn’t offer him that opportunity.
6. San Francisco 49ers
Speaking of teams that already have a cavalcade of offensive options, the 49ers displayed their upside against the Cardinals on Monday Night Football in Week 11. Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle give Kyle Shanahan and Jimmy Garoppolo a wealth of pass-catchers who can create dynamic plays.
And yet, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported last week that San Francisco is still in the mix for Beckham. The 49ers are never shy about acquiring talent, and unlike McCaffrey, Beckham would only cost money, not draft picks.
Garoppolo spread the ball around against Arizona, but there will always be a weapon that gets left out. I think we can find a better fit for OBJ.
5. Baltimore Ravens
It’s hard to be too discouraged about a team in the midst of a four-game win streak, but the Ravens only scored 13 points against the Panthers in Week 11. It was a 3-3 game until midway through the fourth quarter.
Journeyman wideout Demarcus Robinson was Baltimore’s leading receiver on Sunday, which should tell you all you need to know about the state of the Ravens’ pass-catching depth chart. Rashod Bateman is out for the year, while tight end Mark Andrews is battling injuries and hasn’t been nearly as effective as usual.
Beckham would get plenty of targets in Baltimore, but they might not be high-quality targets. We’ve already seen Marquise Brown request and receive a trade because he was dissatisfied with the Ravens’ offensive scheme, and it’s entirely possible OBJ wouldn’t be happy with their scheme either.
4. Buffalo Bills
After losing two of their last three, the Bills have seen both their Super Bowl odds and their chance to earn a first-round bye dwindle. Still, they might have the best roster in football, and Beckham would know he’ll be playing in high-profile games down the stretch and into the postseason.
This was supposed to be Buffalo’s season, and it still could be. Adding Beckham to a receiving corps that already includes Stefon Diggs and Gabriel Davis — plus intriguing back-end options like Isaiah McKenzie and rookie Khalil Shakir — would be an aggressive move, but the Bills have proven willing to be aggressive.
After years of making low-cost investments on the free agent market, the Bills went all-out to secure future Hall of Fame edge rusher Von Miller on a six-year, $120 million deal. Buffalo isn’t messing around this year.
Even if the Bills don’t necessarily need OBJ, there’s no reason they shouldn’t give him $5 million to become their third wideout for the rest of the season. Beckham would get to play with one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and his only reservation would be target share.
3. New York Giants
We know Beckham is cognizant of narratives and storylines. The recent media push around his eventual signing isn’t just about OBJ garnering the biggest contract — it’s about making sure his name is still in the limelight.
With that in mind, a reunion with the team that originally drafted him would make all the sense in the world. Beckham’s relationship with the Giants broke down and led to him being traded to the Browns in 2019, but New York’s front office and coaching staff are now entirely different.
And boy, do the Giants need receiver help. Kadarius Toney is gone, Sterling Shepard is injured, Kenny Golladay isn’t part of the offense, and promising rookie Wan’Dale Robinson suffered a torn ACL on Sunday in the middle of his breakout game.
If Beckham is mostly concerned about targets, New York is the place to go. Richie James and Darius Slayton wouldn’t present legitimate competition for OBJ, and he’d almost immediately become Daniel Jones’ WR1.
On the other hand, the Giants have lost two of their last three, and the Commanders’ recent surge means Big Blue isn’t the locked-in playoff contender it once looked to be. And while Jones has looked drastically better than he has in recent seasons, it’s hard to imagine him leading New York to a Super Bowl.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs acquired Toney at the trade deadline, but he’s already hurt again. Mecole Hardman is on injured reserve and will miss at least the next three games. JuJu Smith-Schuster is practicing this week after missing Sunday night with a concussion, but head injuries are always tricky.
So while Kansas City does have a deep roster of wide receivers with varying skill sets, they’re also dealing with some uncertainty. FiveThirtyEight gives the Chiefs a 23% chance to hoist the Lombardi, the best Super Bowl odds in the league, so there’s no reason for them not to go all-in.
From Beckham’s perspective, the question of targets would again be an issue with the Chiefs. If OBJ doesn’t sign immediately and then takes a few weeks to ramp up, his return timeline will probably sync up with Hardman. Rookie Skyy Moore, who saw a career-high six targets in Week 11, might have also become a larger part of Kansas City’s offense by then, too.
But how could Beckham deny the allure of playing with Patrick Mahomes? OBJ is a very talented player, but Mahomes can make any receiver look better. He’s near the top of nearly every quarterback leaderboard and the favorite for MVP.
The Chiefs have hosted the last four AFC Championship Games. If OBJ’s main goal is to win back-to-back Super Bowls, Kansas City might be his best landing spot.
1. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys are practically begging Beckham to sign with them. You don’t often see a team’s official website produce an article about a potential free agent signing, but that’s exactly what Dallas did on Tuesday.
And honestly, it’s hard to deny that the Cowboys are the best fit for OBJ. They’re the most popular team in the NFL and play in a massive media market. Dallas has two prime-time games left on its schedule, and their Week 18 contest against the Commanders could get flexed if Washington is still in playoff contention.
Beckham wouldn’t have any trouble getting noticed with the Cowboys. Their postseason games will likely draw the largest audiences, and OBJ would set himself up well for his next contract by producing in front of so many eyes.
The on-field fit is excellent as well. CeeDee Lamb is an outstanding receiver, but the Cowboys could use help behind him. Michael Gallup has been up and down as he recovers from a January ACL injury, Noah Brown is better served as a depth piece, and there’s been no recent update on James Washington, who’s been sidelined by a foot injury since the preseason.
The Cowboys are averaging 39 points per game over their last three as Dak Prescott and Tony Pollard have played out of their minds. Still, this offense feels like it needs one more piece. Dallas might be the best team in the NFC and has targets to spare, so don’t be surprised if Beckham signs with the Cowboys following his upcoming visit.