Odell Beckham “Fits” With The Bucs
October 11th, 2022
Still out there.
Joe understands many Bucs fans are hoping for a big-name player to return to the football field in 2022. The guy who has the best chance to do that may not be who many Bucs fans are expecting.
Fans are pining for foot-rubbing Rob Gronkowski to return. His oily agent Drew Rosenhaus keeps dropping hints Gronk isn’t done. So too does his model girlfriend.
But a guy we pretty much know will play later this year, so long as he is medically cleared, could also help the Bucs. And that guy is Odell Beckham.
Matt Bowen of BSPN typed a story on what teams would be a good fit for Beckham. No. 4 on his list is the Bucs.
Why he fits: You can see Beckham as a target for quarterback Tom Brady in the Tampa offense, right? The speed outs, crossers, high-low concepts, deep comebacks. Don’t forget the boundary fade balls.
While we know Mike Evans is the No. 1 target for Brady, the Bucs have been banged up at wide receiver this season, including Chris Godwin, who tore his ACL last December, slowly making his way back. Plus, they’re not getting much from tight ends, which means they need help over the middle of the field.
That last sentence hit home for Joe. Look, no one is banging the drum for Cade Otton more than Joe. But Joe also has to be fair. Right now (as in the morning of Oct. 11, 2022) can you realistically see Otton as a force in the passing game of a team making a run to the Super Bowl? Otton’s not there yet.
And with the Bucs apparently resigned to hoping months of rest allows Julio Jones to play in January, and with Russell Gage always dinged up (through the first four games he has been nothing more than a possession receiver) you cannot tell Joe that the Bucs are good at receiver.
You have studs in Mike Evans and Chris Godwin and after that, be careful with that big next step.
Oh, and lastly about Beckham, which is all-important: Tom Brady likes him.
At the end of the day, it’s all about Tommy. As it should be.
October 11th, 2022 at 10:58 am
Agree – we need some juice as a 3rd Option
October 11th, 2022 at 11:00 am
I could set aside my disdain for OBJ for another playmaker and MAYBE more creative plays enroute to another SB run!
October 11th, 2022 at 11:09 am
Get him signed now so he can learn the playbook while being down so when he’s cleared there’s no major learning curve. Call Carolina also need some D line help
October 11th, 2022 at 11:13 am
If for no other reason than to box out The Rams. And Bills. But mostly those awful repugnant Rams.
October 11th, 2022 at 11:15 am
Why would you bring Another injury prone?
Isn’t enough with perryman and Jones?
October 11th, 2022 at 11:18 am
Can he play special teams? (see Tyler Johnson)
OK….go ahead and sign him…….
October 11th, 2022 at 11:19 am
This article would make more sense if it was written last week. Otton was productive and showed a ton of promise last Sunday vs ATL. Is OBJ healthy? That to me is the question. When will he be healthy. December? January?
October 11th, 2022 at 11:19 am
Joe should listen to Brady’s latest podcast. Some very interesting nuggets. Brady seems a bit more open about the team when he’s on his podcast. He mentioned “confidence without evidence.” He also ranted about how he wants a team that is physical and can impose their will on the other team. He went on to rave about his old Patriots team who he called a dominant physical presence. The one thing they really got my attention was when he said you have to trust a guy to do his assignment, and if they guy keeps screwing up you can’t trust him. Reading between the lines tells me we have players missing assignments and according to Brady this team is too damn soft, especially in the running game.
October 11th, 2022 at 11:23 am
Why do we want to keep signing often injured free agents!? We have a brittle team as it is!
October 11th, 2022 at 11:26 am
Just send him a check, and add him to the injury list. Why bother him making the trip unless Jones, and Hicks need a third for cards.
October 11th, 2022 at 11:30 am
We’ve got enough one legged former superstars
October 11th, 2022 at 11:32 am
Since Week 3 of the 2021 season, Beckham missed one game — until he blew out his knee in the Super Bowl.
Hell, Julio Jones has missed more games than he’s played with the Bucs and it’s not even Halloween. The team is openly discussing putting him on ice so he can (allegedly) be available in January. Who exactly is brittle here?
And if you know of top-shelf Pro Bowl receivers not named “Odell Beckham” who are walking the streets looking for work, let Joe know. Unless you want the Bucs to re-sign Antonio Brown.
October 11th, 2022 at 11:34 am
Otton is a rookie TE, that is literally the position most likely for a player to do nothing in their rookie year – that and the defensive line. Are there some exceptions? Sure, for guys like Pitts who were taken in the top 10. But to count on a 4th round TE to be ‘the guy’ is literally as dumb as can be.
Now is Otton better than Brate? Sure, but who isn’t at this point? Well, Rudolph isn’t. But that bar is about as low of a bar as you can set.
October 11th, 2022 at 11:40 am
The issue with signing OBJ is that he’s yet another guy with health concerns. I’d have zero issues picking him up, but the question is if he could actually play more than 2 quarters without getting hurt again.
Also, how laughable is it for the idiots in the national media to actually think this jacka– is a better WR than Evans.
October 11th, 2022 at 11:46 am
Otton looks like he’s going to be a solid player. His resume is nothing compared to OBJ. I don’t think OBJ is going to happen but if you have the opportunity to sign him, you do it. We are all in for 1 or 2 more years anyway. Who cares if he or Julio are oft injured. If they stars align and they make it onto the field for the playoffs, we win more times than not.
October 11th, 2022 at 11:48 am
Jesus Christ……
What a ridiculous idea.
Compared to most teams we’re brimming with WR talent even with our injuries.
Is there an unwritten law that says we always need to have at least one prima donna/oft injured WR on the roster?
Other teams make it happen with far less talent.
Enough already.
October 11th, 2022 at 11:49 am
The same fans that wanted washed up LeSean McCoy in 2020, Gio Bernard and Richard Sherman in 2021, and Julio Jones, Kyle Rudolph, and Cole Beasley this year now want Beckham…. what are the odds?
October 11th, 2022 at 11:50 am
Funny … we signed julio to rest for months …
October 11th, 2022 at 11:51 am
Meh, Cade Otton had a pretty solid day working the middle of the field, and he’s fully healthy which is also an area of the field Chris Godwin thrives in once as he continues to build more confidence week to week. Plus, our RBs also had a huge day catching short to intermediate passes in the middle of the field.
October 11th, 2022 at 11:56 am
Can never have enough weapons…that’s what I say.
Bring on a healthy OBJ to this already loaded offense.
Injuries happen…so bring on OBJ!
October 11th, 2022 at 11:56 am
Beckham is fine but we are all feeling the burn of signing free agents Gage, Jones and Hicks, all good players but with little availability for Sunday games.
These kind of players need heavy incentives and not so heavy on the salaries or signing bonuses.
Its not my money to throw around but they can’t keep signing players who are sitting out every week.
In Gage’s case, he is trying to play but his cutting and quickness are not there until he is 90-100% healed on that hamstring.
October 11th, 2022 at 12:03 pm
“Hodad Says:
October 11th, 2022 at 11:26 am
Just send him a check, and add him to the injury list. Why bother him making the trip unless Jones, and Hicks need a third for cards.”
Post of the day!
October 11th, 2022 at 12:06 pm
When talking about injuries, I’m seeing a disturbing trend from Joe…..
There have been at leas two Mylew mentions in the last week…..
October 11th, 2022 at 12:13 pm
Trenches. Trenches. Trenches.
Soft soft soft.
Coaches.
Bowles. Soft.
Leftwich. (Insert descriptor)
October 11th, 2022 at 12:16 pm
So are the majority of you saying that we don’t need help in the passing game or are you saying there are others to chose from? I admit, I don’t have all the available players on the street BUT still, what are you saying?
October 11th, 2022 at 12:31 pm
Fix the OL so it can run the damn ball.
October 11th, 2022 at 12:45 pm
Our D line and OLB’s are a much bigger problem then WR, especially since OBJ is looking for a lot of money. The way they got owned by KC was a eye opener.
October 11th, 2022 at 12:47 pm
If you really think we can get 750 yrds and 7-8 Tds out of him then yeah sign him. This is Bradys last year with the Bucs so all in . . I was told by a very reliable source that Brady is moving to Miami at the end of this season . The person that told me this is a professional baseball player in MLB. .
October 11th, 2022 at 12:50 pm
Nah.
October 11th, 2022 at 12:51 pm
@Anonymous
Pining after a WR that’s still rehabbing his ACL injury to replace another WR that’s on the mend from his own injury, is like putting a hat on a hat. Do we need help in the pass game? sure, but the team can help itself just by playing well enough to produce over the entirety of a game. Bringing in the best players available is one thing, falling in love with the idea of an oft-injured player is how we get disappointed by the likes of Hicks, Jones, Perriman, and Gage to a certain degree.
October 11th, 2022 at 12:54 pm
Beckhams last few yrs are riddled with injuries and missed games. It’s basically like signing Godwin again. Great when he plays but you can bet on missed games. Beckham will be an equally high risk for a hammy pull coming of ACL rehab. I think we look to trade for someone younger
October 11th, 2022 at 12:56 pm
Ive been reading the bills will likely get him.
October 11th, 2022 at 12:56 pm
With this coaching staff licht needs all the weapons he can find otherwise i can see a 9-8 season
October 11th, 2022 at 1:06 pm
You can never have enough good players. I’d sign OBJ in a second. He probably won’t be close to 100% until later in the season. He’d be a great asset for the playoff push. The bucs wouldn’t be in this predicament had they IRd Godwin. Jones shouldn’t have played against the Chiefs either. I’d also fire the strength and conditioning guy. Too many soft tissue injuries. you can’t avoid them all, but the last two years have been rediculous. Brady’s teams in New England were always supremely conditioned. Brady himself credits the victory over Atlanta in the Superbowl to superior conditioning.
October 11th, 2022 at 1:10 pm
Tyler Johnson looked good in preseason maybe we should w
Bring him back..
October 11th, 2022 at 1:36 pm
Do it Licht!
October 11th, 2022 at 1:39 pm
But..But….Todd Bowles said Julio is day to day!!
October 11th, 2022 at 1:53 pm
Sign OBJ ,, we really only have 3 receivers ( ME , CG & Scoty ) Others will always be out with injuries
October 11th, 2022 at 1:56 pm
He has played 2 complete seasons in his career. So the next time he takes the field do you really want to take the chance on that money he will not become injured again? Just like Godwin came back and immediately pulled a hamstring after his long recovery.
October 11th, 2022 at 2:34 pm
Joe didn’t address the cap situation…..is there cap space to go after this guy????
October 11th, 2022 at 2:35 pm
GOD, take ANOTHER huge gamble on a battered, injury prone old vet?? Haven’t we learned our lesson?? So far we’ve had no luck signing (aging) veteran players: Sherman, Le’Veon Bell, Julio, Gage, Hicks. All have been busts, walking wounded or under-performers. NO luck. It’s almost a joke at this point. So no way do I see signing OBJ as a good move. In all likelihood, it will just be millions more down the drain that could have been far better spent.
October 11th, 2022 at 2:36 pm
GOD, take ANOTHER huge gamble on a battered, injury prone old vet?? Haven’t we learned our lesson?? So far we’ve had bad luck signing veteran players: Sherman, Le’Veon Bell, Julio, Gage, Hicks. All have been either busts, walking wounded or underperformers. So no way do I see signing OBJ as a good move. In all likelihood, it will just be millions more down the drain that could have been far better spent.
October 11th, 2022 at 2:37 pm
GOD, take ANOTHER huge gamble on a battered, injury prone old vet?? Haven’t we learned our lesson?? So far we’ve had terrible luck signing veteran players like Sherman, Bell, Julio, Gage and Hicks. All have been either busts, walking wounded or underperformers. So no way do I see signing OBJ as a good move. In all likelihood, it will just be millions more down the drain that could have been far better spent.
October 11th, 2022 at 2:38 pm
GOD, take ANOTHER huge gamble on a battered, injury prone old vet?? Haven’t we learned our lesson?? So far we’ve had terrible luck signing veteran players. All have been either busts, walking wounded or underperformers. So no way do I see signing OBJ as a good move. In all likelihood, it will just be millions more down the drain that could have been far better spent.
October 11th, 2022 at 2:47 pm
What are you trying to say Kody?
😉
October 11th, 2022 at 3:46 pm
At the right price? Would be absolutely stupid not to add him to the bunch. Imagine we keep Julio and Beckham mostly on ice, handle our regular season business with the younger dudes, and break these guys out for the playoffs… Watch out. Nobody will have seen the full offense, and those old legs will look fresh. (Throw in the dream of gronk jumping back in toward the end of the year… thats a nasty, super bowl winning offense)
October 11th, 2022 at 6:32 pm
SIGN OBJ!!!! COME BACK GRONK!!!! LFGO!!! UNFINISHED BUISSNESS
October 11th, 2022 at 7:01 pm
Nice article Joe, but like Godwin we have no idea when OBJ will be ready to actually play real football. Also I read an article Sunday that OBJ listed
his top 5 teams and the Bucs weren’t one of them. I know that don’t mean a lot considering some maybe journalist wrote it so it may not be accurate but then again it might. Joe, I know you are just trying to get people to read and react but I just don’t think OBJ is the answer.
October 11th, 2022 at 8:58 pm
OBJ will be looking for a multi-year contract with a contender. With this probably being Brady’s last season, I doubt OBJ would want to be on a rebuilding team with no legit QB to take over for Brady.
He’s definitely a wishlist item for a SB run but we have a better shot at getting Gronk back than landing OBJ. He needs a long term deal. Why would OBJ sign a one year mercenary deal for a title shot when one more freak injury could put him in the same category as Julio Jones and nobody will ever give him more than a prove-it contract after that?
He’s a primadonna but he’s not stupid. He may like and want to play with Brady but it’s a poor career move
October 11th, 2022 at 9:05 pm
Best move for OBJ is Buffalo with a multi-year deal. As for our walking wounded, hopefully they heal up, stay healthy or at least the guys who start can be productive. Give Brady 3 WRs to work with consistently and we’ll be fine. The constant revolving door between the training room and the sidelines is the opposite of consistency and it’s gotta be driving Brady nuts