Odell Beckham Jr. would like to whittle down his current list of potential teams — which includes the Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs, New York Giants and San Francisco 49ers — as soon as possible and have a decision by the end of this month, league sources told ESPN.
Each of those teams is expected to at least be a contender to advance in the postseason, an area where Beckham helped the Los Angeles Rams win last season’s Super Bowl.
The Rams and Green Bay Packers might also have been featured prominently in Beckham’s list, but as both teams fall further out of playoff contention, the less likely it is that Beckham will opt to sign with one of those franchises.
Beckham wants to play for a contender, and league sources are predicting that his eventual compensation package could be similar on a prorated basis to some of the free agent deals signed last offseason by fellow wide receivers such as Chris Godwin and Mike Williams, each of whom makes an average of $20 million per year.
NFL evaluators believe Beckham’s talents are at least on level with players like Godwin and Williams, not to mention his marketability, which could only help his leverage. If Beckham were to play the final quarter of the season at similar prorated pay to Godwin or Williams, he could make about $5 million for the remainder of this season.
Teams also believe Beckham is looking for a multiyear deal, which could potentially give them additional flexibility in structuring a deal that would work for both the free agent receiver and his new club.
Beckham also is nearly ready to play, as Dr. Neal ElAttrache — the doctor who performed the surgery on his injured knee — is prepared to clear him for all activities.