Odell Beckham Jr. Rumors: Rams Lead for WR in Free Agency, Return Not 'Slam Dunk'

While the Los Angeles Rams may be favored to re-sign wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in free agency, it is reportedly not guaranteed.

Appearing Friday on The Pat McAfee Show, NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported on where things stand between OBJ and the Rams:

Rapoport said Beckham's return to L.A. is the "most likely scenario" but that it isn't a "slam dunk" since other teams are interested.

OBJ made a significant impact last season when the Rams signed him midway through the year after his release from the Cleveland Browns, but he suffered a torn ACL during L.A.'s Super Bowl win over the Cincinnati Bengals.

That put Beckham in a difficult spot, as he was likely in line to land a big contract based on how well he played for the Rams during the postseason.

While the Rams traded wide receiver Robert Woods to the Tennessee Titans this offseason, they also signed former Chicago Bears wideout Allen Robinson in free agency, giving them a top-notch receiving corps led by Cooper Kupp, Robinson and Van Jefferson.

That would suggest the Rams don't need Beckham, but bringing him back would be a nice luxury for quarterback Matthew Stafford and the offense.

Given the timing of his injury, Beckham is likely to miss at least part of the 2022 season. Given the strength of the Rams' group of receivers, they could reintegrate him slowly.

Also, from Beckham's perspective, remaining with a team that helped him thrive last season may be his best bet until he is able to reestablish himself and play his way into a longer contract either with the Rams or another team.

The 29-year-old Beckham was considered one of the NFL's top wideouts early in his career with the New York Giants, earning three consecutive Pro Bowl selections from 2014 to 2016.

He wasn't the same player after an injury-ravaged 2017 season, though, as he seemed to lose much of his explosiveness.

The Browns' decision to trade for him in 2019 didn't pay dividends since Beckham was often injured and never developed a great rapport with quarterback Baker Mayfield.

Beckham and Stafford were seemingly on the same page from the start, however, as OBJ registered 27 receptions for 305 yards and five touchdowns in eight regular-season games.

He followed that up with 21 grabs for 288 yards and two scores in four playoff games, including the opening touchdown of the Super Bowl.

Beckham won't be the No. 1 receiver and possibly not even the No. 2 receiver if he re-signs with the Rams, but since he probably won't be back at full strength until the 2023 season, he may benefit from re-signing with a team that utilized his skills well last season.