Odell Beckham Jr. isn’t done, after all. Or at least if he has anything to say about it. Months after the former All-Pro wide receiver teased a potential reunion with the New York Giants, Beckham was even more explicit about his NFL future this week, proclaiming he’s not officially retired in response to fake reports that he had, in fact, hung up the cleats.
Not only that, but NFL Media reports Beckham plans to play somewhere in 2025.
That doesn’t necessarily mean the 32-year-old pass catcher has an abundance of gas in the tank. He hasn’t played a full season in six years, and he managed just nine catches in a short-lived stint with the Miami Dolphins in 2024. Still, as a former Pro Bowler responsible for some of the league’s top highlights early in his career, it’s not a surprise he’s drawing some interest.
A Super Bowl champion thanks to his 2021 pitstop with the Los Angeles Rams, Beckham could especially intrigue clubs with clear wide receiver question marks going into the new season. Which teams, exactly, might be logical fits for Beckham? Here are a few potential suitors, provided Beckham has legitimate plans to make his return this fall:
The Vikings are in win-now mode despite J.J. McCarthy opening the year as a total unknown under center. But their wide receiver corps isn’t going to be at full speed when the season gets underway. Even if star No. 1 Justin Jefferson returns from a hamstring injury that’s kept him sidelined from practice for weeks, fellow starter Jordan Addison will miss the first three games due to suspension. Yes, the Vikings also have the ground game and tight ends to shepherd McCarthy along. But they could use some emergency depth out wide, where youngsters like Jalen Nailor and Tai Felton could have prominent roles out of the gate.
New York Giants
Besides Beckham and a handful of current Giants recently teasing the possibility of a reunion tour, this actually makes some sense. “OBJ” is still a fan favorite among contingents of Giants faithful for the spunky playmaking that made him an NFL phenom at the start of his career. And some added receiver depth couldn’t hurt behind returning starters Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton. If coach Brian Daboll is trying to squeeze what he can out of Russell Wilson before turning to Jaxson Dart under center, Beckham registers as a decent low-risk gamble to give New York another set of proven hands off the bench.
What if Beckham wasn’t teasing a Giants reunion by posing outside of MetLife Stadium this summer, but rather a return to East Rutherford, New Jersey, in general? The Jets arguably have an even greater need for receiving help behind Garrett Wilson, with Josh Reynolds currently tabbed the No. 2 target for new quarterback Justin Fields and fellow reserve Allen Lazard still a banged-up candidate to be moved to stay reunited with Aaron Rodgers. Beckham might also prefer to stay close to his NFL roots if he gives his playing career a final go.
The Steelers have DK Metcalf as a bona fide No. 1 wideout for Aaron Rodgers, but all indications are they’re open to as many additional weapons as they can lure in, even after stockpiling tight end with Jonnu Smith. Beckham may not be the standout he once was, but he’s also been on Rodgers’ radar for years; the Green Bay Packers reportedly tried to land Beckham to pair with A-Rod during the 2021 season, and Rodgers admitted later that he had interest in Beckham following him to the Jets ahead of the 2022 campaign. On a one-year deal, why not make the dream pairing happen now?
There might not be a team more desperate for proven receiver help than the 49ers. A healthy Christian McCaffrey would certainly help Kyle Shanahan and Brock Purdy weather the absence of the recovering Brandon Aiyuk, whose 2024 ACL tear could keep him sidelined for the first month of the season. But Purdy still needs pass targets. George Kittle is still a stud, but out wide, Jauan Jennings is also in the midst of an injury/contract situation, and second-year veteran Ricky Pearsall has also battled his own fair share of bumps and bruises.