Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has yet to get an offer he can’t refuse. Otherwise, he’d be on a team.
So the delay in his decision-making process raises an obvious question. The longer he lingers, could another team spring into action?
Whether it’s a team that decides to put together a package to which he can’t say no or (more likely) a team that previously didn’t bother to make a bargain-basement offer because the team regarded it as futile, someone else could decide that the ongoing availability of OBJ creates an opening to throw a hat into the ring for him.
What about the Bills? Could they use a high-end complement to Stefon Diggs? And with signs currently pointing to Kansas City getting Beckham, the Bills could help themselves while hurting a competitor.
Ditto for the Ravens. They still play the Browns twice, and Baltimore surely doesn’t want to see the Chiefs get better. As Lamar Jackson continues to develop as a passer, what better way to get him there than to supplement Hollywood Brown, Mark Andrews, Sammy Watkins, and Rashod Bateman with Beckham? That could make it hard for Beckham to get the kind of touches he likely wants, and that brings us back to the importance of the player figuring out what his priority is. Maybe the Ravens assumed they had no shot at him. Maybe they now think there’s a chance to get him.
In the NFC, the Rams could give it a shot because the Rams always seem to do so. While they have Cooper Kupp, Robert Woods, and Van Jefferson, DeSean Jackson is gone and Tutu Atwell is injured for the balance of the season. If Beckham wants to join a high-end contender that will be playing well into January, why not the team that currently has the most sizzle in all of football?
The Bucs can’t completely be disregarded either, despite Thursday’s alphabet soup explanation from coach Bruce Arians. They added Breshad Perriman to the practice squad; they clearly have concern about the position given Antonio Brown’s ankle injury. With Tom Brady determined to win his eighth Super Bowl ring, why not take a flier on Beckham, especially if doing so keeps Beckham from joining a team like the Saints, Rams, or Packers?
Regardless of whether this ends up, consider this. Three of the NFL’s premier coaches -- Andy Reid, Sean Payton, and Bill Belichick -- are actively pursuing Beckham. Are they all getting this one wrong?