Why Bills Should Target Odell Beckham Jr. amid Latest NFL Free Agency Rumors

Though they were heavily hyped as a title contender throughout the 2022 season, the Buffalo Bills fell in the divisional round to the Cincinnati Bengals.

Following the loss, general manager Brandon Beane said that Buffalo could stand to improve its offensive line and crop of skill position players.

"I'd love to have the perfect line and I'd love to get as many weapons," Beane told reporters.

The line might be something Buffalo can address in free agency—which officially opens at 4 p.m. ET on Wednesday but is already in the legal-contact period—or in April's draft. However, finding talented pass-catchers could be a little trickier.

The draft has a few intriguing options but few elite receiver prospects. In the Bleacher Report Scouting Department's latest draft rankings, only three wideouts are ranked inside the top 150 prospects.

A few solid veteran receivers, including JuJu Smith-Schuster and Jakobi Meyers, are still available as of Tuesday morning. However, a limited player pool will create a strong market and some sizeable contracts.

Smith-Schuster, for example, has a projected market value of $14.6 million annually.

Given the options available, Buffalo should take a long look at free-agent wideout Odell Beckham Jr., who was unemployed during the 2022 season while recovering from a torn ACL.

Beckham recently held a workout for potentially interested teams, which drew significant interest, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero.

According to CBS Sport's Jonathan Jones, the Bills were in attendance for the workout.

If Buffalo isn't already among the teams in talks with Beckham, it should be. The Bills offense could use another legitimate playmaker alongside Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis. If Beckham is fully recovered, he can be that guy.

The 30-year-old could fill a role similar to the one he had with the Los Angeles Rams near the end of the 2021 season. He wasn't L.A.'s top target—that was Cooper Kupp—but he was a dangerous No. 2.

In less than four full postseason games that year, Beckham caught 21 passes for 288 yards and two touchdowns. He suffered the ACL injury midway through Super Bowl LVI and may have been on his way to earning game MVP honors when it happened.

Beckham has the speed to stretch the field, the shiftiness to create separation and the strong hands needed to make the contested catch. These traits made him a three-time Pro Bowler to start his career, and they would make him a massive asset for quarterback Josh Allen.

The Bills did look into adding Beckham ahead of the 2022 postseason.

"OBJ's a heck of a talent," Beane told reporters in early November. "And you know me, if we think he can help this team, we'd be crazy not to at least look into it."

Now is the time to put pen to paper. Adding Beckham would give Buffalo another dynamic pass-catcher ahead of the draft, allowing the Bills to focus on what is perceived to be a draft deeper at other positions of need—like offensive line and running back.

The caveat here is that Beckham is looking to get paid. According to ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio, the former LSU star hopes to command $20 million per year. However, the Bills might be able to talk him into a more team-friendly incentive-laden contract by convincing him he can win another Super Bowl in Buffalo.

Beckham signed a modest one-year, $1.3 million deal in order to chase a ring with the Rams after being released by the Cleveland Browns in 2021. While he probably won't come that cheaply this time around, the Bills—who have $15 million in cap space—might still be able to fit him into their financial plans.

However, Buffalo needs to act quickly. Beckham has been available, and he's still available, but that isn't likely to last for long into the offseason.

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*Cap and contract information via Spotrac.