3 teams foolish enough to fall for Odell Beckham Jr. snake oil again

Odell Beckham, with 10 NFL seasons under his belt already, wants to return to the league for his age-33 campaign. There is very little precedent for a player in Beckham's position succeeding in the NFL — with his history of knee injuries and his recent decline in production — but teams are still interested in kicking the tires, per NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

This comes out after Beckham loudly shot down false retirement rumors on his social media.

Beckham appeared in nine games for the Miami Dolphins last season, tallying nine receptions on 18 targets for 55 yards. That is 6.1 yards per catch in a Mike McDaniel offense. Now, the Dolphins were a mess and a half last season, but it's not the most encouraging statistical profile.

Odds are that Beckham, if he does sign with a team, will be used marginally at best. He's not going to come in and lead a team in receiving at this point of his career. Still, despite all the injuries and all the other nonsense, Beckham is one of the most accomplished pass-catchers of his generation and a Super Bowl champ, so he has earned some considerations.

Here are a few teams that might fall into the trap of thinking Beckham's still got it.

3. Washington Commanders

The Washington Commanders are stuck between a rock and a hard place until the front office and Terry McLaurin can agree to terms on an extension. If the Commanders fail to work out a new deal and this drags into the regular season (or god forbid if McLaurin actually gets traded), then it's easy to picture the front office scrambling for a desperate solution like Beckham.

That said, even if the Commanders eventually re-sign McLaurin as expected, the front office still might talk itself into the OBJ gambit. He's a veteran leader and a generally steady set of hands, even if he can't explode into open space like he used to. Jayden Daniels is one of the sharpest processors in the NFL at the quarterback position. He reads the field like a book and delivers the football with pinpoint accuracy. With McLaurin and Deebo Samuel drawing attention, sure, there's a world in which Beckham can get open as the third or fourth option.

Beckham is probably cooked, more or less, so the Commanders should pass (like every team on this list). But as far as potential suitors go, this is probably the best spot Beckham himself could hope for. Daniels is a budding star, the Commanders are a genuine Super Bowl threat at full strength, and Beckham would get the chance to impart his wisdom of a few younger wideouts like Luke McCaffrey.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers' wide receiver room looked really awesome for a second there when it was DK Metcalf and George Pickens together. Then the Steelers sent Pickens to Dallas for a draft pick and went all-in on Metcalf, plus a bunch of unproven youths that Aaron Rodgers clearly does not trust whatsoever.

Rodgers will turn 42 years old this season. He still has a strong arm and a sharp brain, but he can't move around the pocket and extend plays like he used to. He needs receivers who can get open quickly and consistently reel in catches in tight windows. Right now, Metcalf is the only Steelers wideout who qualifies.

Beckham solves very little in actuality, but with his perception around the league inflated by past accomplishments, there is absolutely a world in which Aaron Rodgers and Mike Tomlin — a QB and a coach who loooooove to reclaim aging former stars — find it worth their while to recruit Beckham to Pittsburgh.

1. New York Giants

Beckham spent the first five years of his NFL career in a New York Giants uniform. He was Malik Nabers before Malik Nabers, the LSU product who showed up in the Big Apple and electrified the fanbase. The breakup between Beckham and New York was a bit messy, as it always is with stars of that magnitude, but the wide receiver has made it clear that he wants to play for the Giants again.

The Giants front office clearly feels the pressure to deliver a winner this season. Joe Schoen actually made a few compelling moves this offseason to bolster the defense and round out the supporting cast. It's just a matter of whether or not you trust Russell Wilson in 2025. The Giants have a strong three-man receiver core between Nabers, Darius Slayton and Wan'Dale Robinson, all of whom can get open and stretch the field for Russ. Beckham would slot in as a depth option.

New York probably doesn't need the publicity of re-signing Beckham and bringing him back to where it all started, but it would at least provide a nice, sentimental sendoff for a once-great player, rather than watching Beckham struggle against the current in a city where the fanbase couldn't care less. Also: if the Giants want to desperately appeal to fans who are still mad about Saquon Barkley, this is a flashy distraction, at the very least.