Sean McVay 'really' wants Odell Beckham Jr. back on Rams: 'He is truly a great teammate'
Odell Beckham Jr. hasn't signed with a team yet, but there's one that really wants him.
On "The Rich Eisen Show" Thursday, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay said that he would very much like to have the wide receiver back on his team for the upcoming season.
"Oh, of course. I really want Odell back on our team. He's a guy that, in a short amount of time, we were able to develop a really special relationship," McVay said via NFL.com. "I thought he brought a great spark to our team. I thought he played really well. He's a great teammate. Without a doubt, want to get Odell back here. That's the goal and continuing to work toward a solution of him re-signing with the Rams."
Beckham was with the Rams for just eight regular season games, but he got things done. After he signed a one-year deal with them in early November, he had 27 catches for 308 yards and five touchdowns. He wasn't back to OBJ prime, but he started looking like he might be able to return to that level with time.
That's a major contrast to how he looked on the Cleveland Browns, where he'd been since 2019. The Rams were Beckham's landing spot after his relationship with the Browns completely broke down. He was minimized in Cleveland's offense, something his father pointed out in a social media video that highlighted how many times QB Baker Mayfield had missed or not thrown to Beckham when he was open. That started a firestorm and eventually led to the Browns releasing OBJ.
Beckham's Super Bowl knee injury clouds future
Beckham was a major contributor for the Rams in the playoffs. Over four games, he had 21 catches for 288 yards and two touchdowns. That second touchdown was the first scored in the Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals, and it was vital to their 23-20 win.
However, that was the last touchdown he'd score for quite awhile. In the second half of the Super Bowl, OBJ went down with a knee injury that turned out to be a torn ACL — his second in 18 months. He spent the rest of the game on the sidelines.
"He is truly a great teammate, made so many impactful plays," McVay said. "It was a shame to see him go down in that game but man, he sure still made an impact with those two catches that he did have."
A torn ACL typically requires nine months of recovery time, which means Beckham could be ready to play sometime in November if his rehab stays on track. That uncertainty means teams could be wary of making any commitment to him, but McVay doesn't seem fazed by that at all. Even though half (or more) of the season could be gone by the time he's ready to play, McVay clearly still wants OBJ on the Rams.
Whether that will actually happen remains to be seen. Beckham said on Twitter just last week that he wants to stay in Los Angeles, but the price has to be right.
They kno whwre I wanna be 😂😂 just can’t play for free !
— Odell Beckham Jr (@obj) May 11, 2022
Beckham's right that he shouldn't play for free, but there's a team that openly wants him and his torn ACL back in the fold. While other teams are likely backing away from him, the Rams are coming closer. This feels like a perfect match, but the Rams and OBJ both have to make it happen.
