It's no secret that the Pittsburgh Steelers have been scouring the market to add another wide receiver to line up opposite D.K. Metcalf. That job currently belongs to third-year speedster Calvin Austin III, who's primarily been a part-time deep threat and return man thus far in the NFL. However, the team's quarterback, Aaron Rodgers, is trying to help add outside reinforcements, just not the right ones.
Rodgers' ex-Green Bay Packers and New York Jets comrade, Allen Lazard, has been connected to the Steelers for months, albeit to no avail. There was speculation that now-Los Angeles Chargers veteran could land in Pittsburgh because of the four-time MVP, which he quickly and emphatically dismissed. Next, and perhaps the saddest on the list of past-their-prime playmakers, is Odell Beckham Jr., who recently went viral due to false retirement rumors.
Odell Beckham Jr. says he and Aaron Rodgers have 'had conversations' about Steelers partnership
Beckham spoke fondly of the Steelers' signal-caller during an appearance on Bill Maher's Club Random Podcast on June 30. Their relationship seemingly goes beyond the gridiron, but the two-time All-Pro wideout revealed that he and Rodgers have spoken about joining forces in Pittsburgh.
"I love him," Beckham stated about Rodgers before Maher could even finish his sentence. "I won’t say that [signing with the Steelers is] not a possibility, and I won't say that I haven't had any communication."
Moreover, Beckham had similarly beaming things to say about deep-rooted Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin. The 32-year-old shared that he expected Pittsburgh to draft him in 2014 based on a meeting they had -- over a decade ago. It's been a long time since then, and much has changed, including the former's ability to impact winning effectively disintegrated.
Odell Beckham Jr. is not Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers' WR2 savior
A Rodgers-Beckham tandem would be the best in the league ... if this was 2016. The latter is a shell of his once-dominant self at this stage of one of the biggest "what if" players in recent memory. OBJ's production and clout haven't aligned in ages, and there's no reason to expect that to change if he lands in Pittsburgh.
The last time Beckham exceeded 600 yards, let alone 1,000, was 2019. Injuries have derailed a potential Hall of Fame trajectory since his historically excellent first three seasons as a pro. A career-altering ankle issue was the beginning of the Super Bowl champion's downfall, and then he tore the same ACL twice in 16 months.