Many fans and analysts were expecting the Los Angeles Rams to select a wide receiver in the 2022 NFL draft – not only to keep with tradition of the Sean McVay era, but to add depth at a position the Rams have shown interest in improving. They opted not to draft any, though they did select a running back in the fifth round.
The decision to pass on wide receivers in the draft leaves the door open for one particular player to return in free agency: Odell Beckham Jr.
That’s not to say the Rams selecting a wide receiver in the seventh round would’ve precluded them from re-signing Beckham, but the fact that they didn’t draft one at all – especially in the third or fourth round like some thought they might – is a sign that maybe, just maybe, Beckham will be back with the Rams next season.
He did tweet recently that he would “gladly” re-sign with the Rams, but he’s waiting for them to send him “a real offer.” That suggests there’s a gap between what Beckham wants and what the Rams have been willing to offer him, likely because of his knee injury that will keep him out for part of the 2022 season.
If re-signed, Beckham would be one of the three best receivers on the Rams’ roster, joining Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson as the starters when he recovers from his knee injury. That would make Van Jefferson’s role smaller, but the goal is to get the best players on the field – and very simply, Beckham would be one of the Rams’ most talented players.
There hasn’t been much reported interest from teams in Beckham, which is surprising. But that also could make it easier for the Rams to re-sign him. The fewer offers he has, the more willing he might be to take what the Rams are willing to pay.
There’s no real timetable for Beckham to sign with the Rams or anyone else, so it could take weeks or months for him to find a landing spot. But as long as he’s expected to play at some point next season, he should sign with someone. He helped the Rams win a Super Bowl in half a season with them, and he can do the same for a team next season, too.
