Odell Beckham Jr. Could Be Missing Until November

Odell Beckham Jr. suffered one of the most severe injuries in sport when he tore his ACL during the Super Bowl. And after undergoing surgery in the aftermath of sustaining the tear, it was stated that the wide receiver would be missing for most of 2022. However, the player himself hopes to be back sooner rather than later.

The issue that will present itself immediately to the twenty-nine-year-old is that on his return, his options in terms of the teams he could join will be limited, and his power at the negotiating table may have waned somewhat. It’s also worth noting that if Beckham Jr. returns in November, he’s likely to have turned thirty too.

While many are inclined to suggest that Beckham Jr. won't have time on his side to decide his future, the Louisiana-born star could hold his nerve, bide his time, and find the best option for himself. It’s doubtful that Beckham Jr. will be anywhere near a reasonable level until October/November, so he could wait until the season is underway before deciding where he wants to play.

If the season is several weeks old, Beckham Jr. will see which teams are not only looking good but also which of them need a receiver. There will undoubtedly be some who tick both boxes, and then it will be up to all parties to get a deal over the line. But, it’s certainly not beyond the realms of possibility to assume Beckham Jr. will be starring for a contender come the end of the year.

What naturally stands the one-time Super Bowl champion in good stead is that he’s suffered an ACL tear before and come back from it. So, ultimately, he knows what it takes. However, it is interesting that reports suggest that when Beckham Jr. was operated on to repair the injury the first time, things didn’t necessarily go according to plan, which could have impacted his performances.

Beckham Jr. joined the Los Angeles Rams last year after his time with the Cleveland Browns ended. And, there is hope from Rams’ general manager Les Snead that it’s a relationship that could continue moving forward. Snead understands the receiver may not be ready to play a part until the latter stages but did suggest that having him available for a postseason push would be helpful as he’d be a “fresh set of legs.”

For now, the focus of Beckham Jr. won’t be on what could potentially come next. Instead, it will be on making sure he recovers properly from his ACL injury. And, in light of reports that his previous procedure could have been a bit of a botch job, he must ensure that he does everything right if he’s to hit the ground running on his return. He won’t have much time to impress this season as it is.