Free agency is around the corner, and as Terry Fontenot has done every offseason as general manager of the Falcons, he’s going to attempt to fill all of his major holes to some degree so he can take the best player available in the draft.
Outside of quarterback, there isn’t a more pressing need in Atlanta than wide receiver. New offensive coordinator Zac Robinson is expected to run a lot of three receiver sets, and aside from Drake London, the Falcons quite literally don’t have another worthwhile wideout on the roster. They need to add multiple bodies to the position, and if they don’t want to pay top dollar, a veteran option like Odell Beckham Jr. could be an option.
Beckham hasn’t been a #1 wide receiver for quite some time. He’s set to turn 32 years old next season and has suffered through his fair share of injuries, including a torn ACL in the Super Bowl a couple of years back, which led to him sitting out the 2022 campaign. However, Beckham returned last year, inking a one-year deal with the Ravens and provided a run-first offense with some decent production, hauling in 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns.
At this point in his career, Beckham’s best served as a third option, but the Falcons don’t just need a #2 wide receiver, they need a #3 as well, and there’s familiarity there between him and the Falcons staff.
Raheem Morris was the defensive coordinator and Zac Robinson was the assistant quarterbacks coach in Los Angeles when Beckham was there, which was really the last time we saw a glimpse of vintage Odell Beckham Jr. During the Rams Super Bowl run, he caught for nearly 300 yards with a couple of touchdowns in 3.5 games.
Unfortunately, the story ends with Beckham tearing his ACL, but he’s now over two years removed from the injury. There might still be some gas left in the tank, and nobody knows what he can bring to a team — from a production and locker room perspective — more than Morris and Robinson.
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