In terms of name value, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. still moves the needle. When it comes to production on the field, however, OBJ has had little impact since his first season with the Cleveland Browns, when he caught 74 passes for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns in 2019. That includes last season as Beckham posted a 35-565-3 line with the Baltimore Ravens.
There was some hope last offseason that joining forces with quarterback Lamar Jackson would usher in a statistical renaissance for Beckham, but he started slowly, suffered an ankle injury after just two weeks, and didn’t top the 50-yard mark in a game until Nov. 5. Even while Jackson played at an MVP level, it was rookie WR Zay Flowers who ended up emerging as the de facto WR1, though Beckham did finish second in yardage while averaging a career-high 16.1 yards per catch.
A free agent once again, Beckham landed a one-year deal with the Miami Dolphins. Despite checking in as the No. 3 receiver behind receivers Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle, the speed-oriented nature of head coach Mike McDaniel’s offense at least creates a level of intrigue for Beckham. As noted, the veteran hasn’t had much of an impact over the past four years, but the time he looked the most dangerous was during his postseason run with the Los Angeles Rams in 2021: 21 receptions, 288 yards, and two TDs in four games before tearing his ACL during the Super Bowl.
