Odell Beckham Jr. Rumors: Packers, Chiefs, Saints Finalists for Free-Agent WR

The Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints have reportedly emerged as the front-runners for free-agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

ESPN's Dianna Russini reported Wednesday that Beckham, who cleared waivers Tuesday following his release by the Cleveland Browns, is "honing in" on those three teams and could make his decision by day's end.

The three-time Pro Bowl selection fell out of favor within the Browns offense in 2021. He recorded just 17 receptions for 232 yards and no touchdowns across six appearances. His final game with Cleveland resulted in a single catch for six yards in Week 8 against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

His lack of involvement led him to request a trade, something Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com reported he'd done "multiple times" since the offseason, but no deal was found ahead of last week's trade deadline.

The Browns subsequently excused Beckham from practice and ultimately released him, a move general manager Andrew Berry said was in the "best interest of all parties involved."

As the 2014 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year closes in on finding a new home, the question is what type of player he'll be moving forward.

Beckham was a dominant force across his first three NFL seasons with the New York Giants. He caught 35 touchdowns in 43 games between 2014 and 2016 while averaging 1,374 yards per season.

The LSU product had his 2017 campaign cut short by a fractured ankle, and he's caught just 13 touchdowns in 41 appearances since the start of 2018.

At 29, it's possible Beckham is past his physical peak, but he's also less than two years removed from a solid 2019 season in which he tallied 74 catches for 1,035 yards.

The Saints make the most sense among the three apparent finalists if the wideout is looking for a high-volume role. New Orleans' top target, Michael Thomas, recently announced he'll miss the entire year with an ankle injury and nobody has stepped up to fully fill that void.

Beckham would face more competition for targets in Green Bay and Kansas City, where he'd be a No. 2 option at best behind Davante Adams or Tyreek Hill, respectively. Going to the Packers or Chiefs would increase his chances of winning a Super Bowl title, though.