Four years after league meetings during which it became obvious that the Eagles were done with receiver DeSean Jackson, it now seems that the Giants may be done with receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. With the coaches, General Managers, and/or owners of all 32 teams here in Orlando for multiple days of get-togethers, it would make sense for a team interested in Beckham to try to go get him.
Apart from the trade haul the Giants would want, the new team would have to be willing to give Beckham a contract that puts him at the top of the receiver market, possibly at an average of $20 million or more per year. So which team(s) would or should want Beckham?
It would have to be a contending team, one with a skilled, entrenched quarterback who also is capable of keeping Beckham under some semblance of control. The team would also have to be able and willing to make a major commitment financially to a receiver, meaning that it likely wouldn’t already have a high-priced receiver on the roster -- or maybe it would include that player in the trade package.
Not many would fit this profile. Given that the Giants likely would prefer trading Beckham to a non-NFC team, the Chargers would be an intriguing option. Yes, Keenan Allen and/or Mike Williams likely would have to be shipped to the Giants in order to make the move sensible for the Chargers from a football standpoint. From a business standpoint, it would make a ton of sense, bringing one of the biggest stars in football to a team that’s currently fading behind the Rams in the nation’s second largest media market.
What other AFC teams would want him? We riffed during PFT Live about the possibility of a trade to the Steelers for running back Le’Veon Bell and receiver Martavis Bryant, but there’s no way the Steelers could afford to pay receiver Antonio Brown $17 million per year and Beckham $20 million per year.
The Patriots would be an intriguing fit, but the Patriots would likely have to be able to steal Beckham. Even then, his temperament may not fit well with the whole “Do Your Job” vibe, and it would be weird, to say the least, if he were making more than $5 million more per year than Tom Brady, if the Patriots would even come close to paying Beckham that kind of money.
In the NFC, the 49ers would be a fascinating option. They have the quarterback, the cap space, the cash, the absence of a star receiver, and the need to create some excitement -- and to have a pass-catcher who would get open against the likes of Aqib Talib and Marcus Peters.
The Panthers also could be an intriguing possibility, but a trade and a major contract for Beckham likely would have to wait until after the ownership situation is resolved.
Not many other teams would provide a good fit for Beckham, either due to the team’s current quarterback situation, the current cap situation, the current roster situation, and other factors that would make the risk far outweigh the potential reward. So, to summarize, the Chargers, 49ers, and Panthers would seem to be the most likely potential destinations -- if the Giants are inclined to trade him and if a trade partner would be willing to both compensate the Giants and significantly compensate Beckham.
