The 2022 season is dangerously close to going all the way down the tubes for the Green Bay Packers. They have been stuck in a funk for over a month, as they have lost five consecutive games, which followed a three-game winning streak. While the team still has some optimism for the remainder of the season, they are certainly on their last legs.
Losing to the Detroit Lions, who had one victory heading into their Week 9 matchup, in the fashion that they did is about as close as you can get to rock bottom without hitting rock bottom. Not only did the Packers lose the game, pass rusher Rashan Gary was lost for the season with an ACL injury.
Things are certainly looking dire, as even future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers has struggled. He threw three interceptions against the Lions, each one worse than the previous, torpedoing any chance the team had at sneaking out of Ford Field with a victory.
Rodgers has been vocal this season about the lack of help he has at the wide receiver position. Trading away Davante Adams and letting Marquez Valdes-Scantling walk in free agency looked bad over the summer and has proven too much to overcome.
The passing offense has been inconsistent, to put it nicely, and not even the wizardry of Rodgers is enough to end the struggles. What he needs is an established, big-play receiver to join the team. With the trade deadline passing last week, there certainly aren’t many avenues to explore. The last one remaining would be trying to convince Odell Beckham Jr. that Green Bay is the place for him.
The Packers have been one of the teams linked to Beckham, as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered during the Super Bowl in February. He is expected to receive full clearance later this week and it likely won’t be long until he picks a team to sign with.
Given their current spot in the standings, the Packers are likely falling to the bottom of Beckham’s list. They will need to get creative when figuring out a way to entice him and one way could be with guaranteed money.
It has seemed like a foregone conclusion that whoever signs Beckham would do so with a one-year deal prorated for the remainder of the season. That would limit the risk for the team, but also provide Beckham the chance to seek a more lucrative deal in free agency in 2023 should he prove that he is healthy.
The Packers should go all-in on Beckham and offer him a deal not only guaranteed for this season but guarantee money for 2023 as well. A deal like that provides Beckham some insurance in case he is unable to regain his form during the remainder of this season. He would have a full offseason to continue working out and getting back into game shape while working alongside one of his friends in Rodgers.
In addition to the guaranteed money in 2023, the Packers can provide Beckham with a huge role in the offense right off the bat. No one has established themselves as a go-to receiver for Rodgers this season; Allen Lazard is likely the closest with rookie Romeo Doubs second.
While the Packers don’t look like the contenders many predicted they would be, they can offer Beckham some appealing things to try and overcome the other teams that will be pursuing him.
