Odell Beckham Jr. is expected to debut for the Rams in a matter of hours. But, minutes before he signed with Los Angeles, the Steelers made a late entry into the OBJ sweepstakes, according to NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport.
However, by that point, the wide receiver had already narrowed down his list. The Chiefs, Packers, Patriots, Seahawks and Saints were also in the mix, but the Beckham saw the Rams as the best fit.
“It just feels right about the [Rams] offense,” Beckham said. “I hope to find a groove and help this team find ways to win.”
Saints head coach Sean Payton personally tried to court the former LSU standout, but the Saints weren’t sure if he was serious about coming to New Orleans (Twitter link via Jeff Duncan of The Times-Picayune). Like most of the other teams involved, it’s believed that the Saints pitched him on a ~$1M base salary for 2021, plus incentives. The Packers were something of an exception, according to RapSheet, offering only the veteran’s minimum.
With incentives, Beckham can make up to $3M on his Rams deal this year. After that, he’ll be eligible for free agency, giving all of his previous suitors another chance to land him. Meanwhile, the Rams are already working to keep him from the open market.
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