For months, the landing spot for Odell Beckham Jr. has been unknown. And surprise surprise, it still is. The difference between then and now though is the fact that OBJ has begun to show an interest in returning to the NFL as an active player. Rumors have been running rampant around the league surrounding an OBJ return to the team where it all started, the New York Giants. NFL big-wigs have voiced their concerns about OBJ, mostly regarding his health. It’s known that the torn ACL he incurred in Super Bowl LVI has been a big reason he hasn’t expressed much interest in returning to the gridiron lately, but time has passed and per OBJ, the ACL has healed. On Thursday Night Football’s special segment dubbed “The Shop”, OBJ hinted towards unfinished business in the NFL as a WR - specifically with old teammate and friend Saquon Barkley. “I don’t feel like Saquon and I got to do what we were supposed to do”, OBJ stated. NFL enthusiasts and analysts had high expectations for the development of the OBJ/Saquon dynamic duo, but these hopes were short-lived after the Giants agreed to trade OBJ to the Browns.
Beckham has expressed his interest in joining a team come postseason play. The short list of teams Beckham has expressed interest in consists of the Giants, Bills, and Cowboys - all of which are strong playoff contenders as it currently stands. Jerry Jones wasn’t shy to showcase his interest in the prominent WR as he’s frequently hinted towards bringing OBJ to Dallas. Since Dak Prescott’s return, the Dallas Cowboys have been on a three-win streak after a stellar performance against the Colts this past Sunday. Last week OBJ visited the Cowboys' facilities and even went to a Dallas Mavericks game with Cowboys DE Michah Parsons and CB Trevon Diggs. Dallas Cowboys legend and star TE Jason Witten expressed his surprise towards the recruitment of a player, let alone a free agent within the duration of the regular season. “The recruiting of a player in the middle of a season, I don’t know if we’ve seen it kinda transpire this way in the NFL. I think it’s pretty neat. It’s good for the fans to see," Witten told Fox News. “There’s no denying Odell’s skill level,” Witten continued. “I think what’s really neat about that is there’s not just the defensive guys recruiting him. It’s CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Dak [Prescott]. I’ve liked how it’s evolved. I certainly think he can help them.” Jason Witten added that he heard the visit with OBJ in Dallas didn’t go as well as some may have hoped.
Dallas is reportedly concerned about Beckham’s physical, with ESPN stating he “has not progressed enough to ensure he would play before mid-January.” It’s clear that OBJ has his eyes on another Super Bowl, and there’s no questioning the fact that he’s looking in the right places to do exactly that. The question though still remains, can OBJ serve as the X-factor to win any of the teams listed, or any other team for that matter, a Lombardi trophy? These questions are still yet to be determined, and like many things, only time will tell before these questions can be answered accurately. No matter where OBJ lands, if anywhere, both he and the team he lands at will have to ensure there’s no risk of liability from adding him to the roster. Will OBJ return in the 2022-23 season? We must wait and see.