The NFL Players Association and NFL have agreed to restructure a contract Odell Beckham Jr. That would allow the Broad Future star to continue with concessions on Monday and claim it by 4 p.m. ET the next day, sources told ESPN.
But Beckham doesn’t want to go to just any team, according to sources familiar with his thinking. Beckham wants to spend the rest of this season with a competitor in the playoffs and in a winning environment, where he believes he will be happy and productive.
If a team that does not meet these criteria claims Beckham and $7.25 million remaining in his contract, there could be potential problems for that team, according to a source, although it is not clear exactly what those problems are.
As it stands, nine teams have more than $7.25 million in salary cap space: the Jaguars, Eagles, Broncos, Seahawks, Panthers, Chargers, Steelers, Bengals and the Washington F.C.
If Beckham cancels the concessions, which several team executives said over the weekend was the “likely” outcome, he would be able to sign for any team.
Sources told ESPN that multiple teams with winning records and consistent offense records are expected to be interested in Beckham. Certain players have already reached out to Beckham, offering the benefits of their organization, according to the sources.
If Beckham clears the concessions on Tuesday, he will likely have a deal with a new team sometime next week, according to a source.
Beckham and the Cleveland Browns reached a settlement over the restructured contract on Friday after days of negotiations. The meltdown became inevitable last week when, hours before Tuesday’s trading deadline, Beckham’s father shared a video on social media showing the times when he was the Browns quarterback. Baker Mayfield He didn’t throw the ball.
Brown relieved Beckham of training last week while the two sides negotiated his departure, which ended on Friday – his 29th birthday. Browns general manager Andrew Perry described the situation as “unfortunate” but acknowledged “there are some situations in the NFL where things are not going well.”
If Beckham seeks immediate revenge on his former team, he could opt to sign with the Patriots, who host Brown next Sunday in Week 10.
Beckham has had 17 catches for 232 yards and hasn’t dropped a touchdown in six games this season. He has only had two 100-yard runs in 29 games since joining Cleveland in the successful 2019 trade with the New York Giants.
The Pro Bowler had three hits of 1,035 yards in his first season with Cleveland, but he suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2020 and was knocked out when the Browns ended a long drought and won their first playoff in 26 years.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.