With the 2022 NFL Draft now complete, teams around the league will re-evaluate their rosters and see where they need to find some upgrades. The free agency pool is going to grow, as undrafted free agents will look for teams to latch on with and some veterans could be released if franchises selected their replacements in the draft. One player the Green Bay Packers should still look to target is star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
We could start seeing some of the veterans that didn’t sign deals earlier in free agency begin to get scooped up as well. Players that are signed now do not get included in the compensatory draft pick equation, so teams could be more willing to work out a deal with veteran players.
One veteran that people will be keeping an eye on in the coming weeks and months is Odell Beckham Jr. Beckham has had a tumultuous few years with the Cleveland Browns, ultimately resulting in his release following the trade deadline.
Beckham signed with the Los Angeles Rams and showed that he wasn’t the problem with how things went in Cleveland. He did everything that was asked of him, stepping into the No. 2 role behind Cooper Kupp after Robert Woods tore his ACL hours after Beckham signed his deal.
The former All-Pro became an integral part of the Rams’ offense. He showed that he had plenty left in the tank, taking advantage of all of the attention Kupp garnered to make plays. Beckham helped the team get to the Super Bowl, where he caught two passes for 52 yards and a touchdown before tearing his ACL.
That injury couldn’t have come at a worse time for Beckham as he was entering free agency, hoping to cash in on another lucrative deal after playing well with the Rams. Los Angeles traded Woods this offseason, but also signed Allen Robinson, so there may not be room for Beckham to return.
That should present a team such as the Green Bay Packers a chance to go all-in on signing Beckham, something they should certainly do. The Packers entered the 2022 NFL Draft needing to make some upgrades at the wide receiver position and they exited it likely still needing a little help.
The team selected Christian Watson in the second round of the draft and he does have star potential with his combination of size and speed. They also selected Romeo Doubs in the fourth round.
But, with Aaron Rodgers under center, the Packers’ window to win a Super Bowl is now. Relying on rookies to make a major impact is always risky and there isn’t much else on the depth chart to get excited about. Allen Lazard and Sammy Watkins are likely the starters with Watson, with Randall Cobb and Amari Rodgers behind them.
Adding Beckham to that mix would provide Green Bay with some much-needed insurance later on in the season. Since his ACL tear occurred in early February, Beckham will likely be sidelined at the start of the season. But, that would be a big-time addition to be made in the second half whenever Beckham can get back on the field.
Beckham was close to signing with the Packers before he chose the Rams as well, so there was previous interest. With Davante Adams no longer in town after being traded to the Las Vegas Raiders, that interest should remain and possibly be increased.
The days of Odell Beckham Jr. being a sure-fire, No. 1 star receiver may be behind him, but he showed with the Rams he can still be a productive one. Green Bay would be an excellent landing spot for him as catching passes from Rodgers will help anyone improve their stock.
