Odell Beckham Jr. Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Teams reportedly believe Odell Beckham Jr. won't play until 2023 season

Big-name wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. may have gone from the most sought-after free agent of the fall to a non-factor through February. 

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Wednesday that "several NFL teams believe" Beckham "is leaning toward" sitting through the remainder of the regular season and all of the upcoming playoffs. 

Executives expect the three-time Pro Bowl selection won't risk his health next month and instead will want to be "the prize" among available players at his position when the new NFL year opens in March 2023. 

Beckham recently completed meetings with the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, and New York Giants but did not sign with any of those clubs. 

The Cowboys instead put pen to paper on a deal with former Indianapolis Colts receiver T.Y. Hilton, while the Bills pulled Cole Beasley out of retirement. Meanwhile, the Giants haven't won since Week 10 on Nov. 13 and are in danger of missing the playoffs. 

It was reported last week that some within the Cowboys were concerned following Beckham's physical with the organization. They believed Beckham won't be ready to play "before mid-January" at the earliest amid his recovery from the torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee he suffered during Super Bowl LVI. Fowler added in his latest update that "the tea leaves are telling teams that Beckham might not be a realistic option this year." 

One wonders if Beckham saying that he doesn't "see the point" in playing over the final four weeks of the regular season proved to be the last piece of information clubs needed to know they should move on from considering him as an option. For what it's worth, the Cowboys' website noted Tuesday that team owner Jerry Jones insisted during a radio appearance that he's still interested in adding Beckham despite the signing of Hilton.

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