Jaguars: Landing Odell Beckham Jr. may be a long shot but worth trying

Wide receiver Odell Beckham has made waves in recent days due to the displeasure with his role with the Cleveland Browns. While it may be a long shot due to the demand he could potentially have, the Jacksonville Jaguars should pursue the 2014 first-round pick once he becomes available. His presence would give the Jags’ wide receiver corps an immediate boost.

The Cleveland Browns announced they plan to release Beckham. They are working after converting his base salary into a $1 million bonus, per Adam Schefter of ESPN. Had the team not reworked his contract, it would have been difficult for NFL clubs with limited cap space to pursue him. However, his team-friendly deal may increase his demand in the waiver wire.

The Jaguars are currently fourth in the waiver wire and have more than enough cap space to land the wide receiver — $26.1 million per Over the Cap — even if he hadn’t restructured his contract. If the three teams ahead of Jacksonville pass on him, Jacksonville should definitely claim him. As former NFL wide receiver Torrey Smith said, Beckham can still play and rumors about him being a bad teammate don’t really hold ground.

Beckham’s name popped up as a potential trade target ahead of the 2021 deadline. In the end, no deal materialized but the three-time Pro Bowl nod still wanted out of Cleveland. Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski told players the wide receiver was not part of the team just a couple of days ago, signaling a potential split.

It makes sense for the Jaguars to target Odell Beckham Jr.

At first sight, it may not make much sense for the Jaguars to pursue Beckham. They’re currently 1-6 with no real chances to make the playoffs this year. You could also make the case his attitude may have a negative effect in Jacksonville. Finally, other teams with better overall records might be interested in him. Regardless of all these reasons, the Jags should attempt to land him.

The truth is that Beckham hasn’t been pleased with his role with the team. Maybe he didn’t use the correct approach to externalize his displeasure and he probably is at fault too. Having said that, the Jaguars are in the early stages of a rebuild and would sure like to have a player of his caliber. Head coach Urban Meyer recently said the team needs speed and the wide receiver could bring it.

You could argue that Beckham has an attitude problem, as evidenced by the fact that both the NY Giants and the Browns have decided they’re better off without him. Then again, he would quickly become a key cog on the Jaguars’ offense. Although Trevor Lawrence is still adjusting to the NFL, he’s already shown he can get the ball to his playmakers, so getting Beckham the ball wouldn’t be an issue.

Meyer has said several times that the Jaguars will make a move if they think it will benefit the team. Acquiring Beckham would surely make them better.