Odell Beckham Jr. Rumors: Dolphins 'Not Willing to Overspend' on Contract in NFL FA

Amid rumors that the Miami Dolphins and Odell Beckham Jr. share an interest in signing a contract, the team isn't going to go overboard to make a deal happen.

Appearing on Saturday's SportsCenter, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the Dolphins are "not willing to overspend" for the three-time Pro Bowler:

"Odell Beckham met with the Miami Dolphins this past week and I was told the Dolphins are definitely interested. It's probably going to be at a price point that they're going to have to figure out. So, they're not willing to overspend at this point. They don't have a lot of cash. They got Tyreek Hill, they got Jaylen Waddle, but they want to pair those two with a veteran receiver. So, some mutual interest."

Per Barry Jackson of the MIami Herald, Beckham met with the Dolphins on Thursday that "went well" and the two sides have "strong" mutual interest.

The salary cap has been a problem for the Dolphins this offseason. They had to let key players like Christian Wilkins, Andrew Van Ginkel and Robert Hunt leave as free agents in part because they were $38.5 million over the cap when the 2024 figure was set.

Miami certainly needs to upgrade its No. 3 receiver spot. Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle both had more than 1,000 receiving yards last season. Tight end Durham Smythe was the only other player who surpassed the 300-yard mark (366).

Cedrick Wilson Jr., who was the No. 3 wideout in 2023, signed with the New Orleans Saints as a free agent.

Beckham is coming off a disappointing season with the Baltimore Ravens. He signed a one-year deal worth $15 million guaranteed after missing all of 2022 recovering from a torn ACL.

The 31-year-old appeared in 14 games for the Ravens. He did average a career-high 16.1 yards per reception, but only managed 35 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns.

Beckham only played more than 60 percent of the offensive snaps in one game for the Ravens. He was on the field for fewer than 50 percent of the offensive snaps seven times, including the 34-10 victory over the Houston Texans in the AFC Divisional Round.