When the Browns waived wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. this week, it was possible that he’d wind up with a team that Cleveland had to face later this season.
That scenario was avoided when Beckham cleared waivers and wound up signing with the Rams, but one of the Browns’ divisional rivals reportedly made a run at keeping him in the AFC North. Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reports that the Steelers made a “last-ditch effort” to sign Beckham on Thursday, but that he’d already come down to deciding between the Rams and Packers.
Steelers wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster is out for the season and they are also without Chase Claypool for the time being because of a toe injury. That would explain interest in Beckham, but they’ll have to stick with Diontae Johnson, James Washington, Cody White, Ray-Ray McCloud, and Steven Sims at wideout.
That group won’t be catching passes from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger against the Lions on Sunday. Roethlisberger is out for at least this Sunday after testing positive for COVID-19.