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The New York Jets are reportedly a favorite to land free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., according to ESPN's Jeff Darlington.
"We should very much consider Odell Beckham Jr. still on the table as an option for the New York Jets. In fact, we can go even further to say that both sides would still like to see this done," Darlington said during an appearance on Get Up Thursday (March 23) morning. "Financials, still in the way of actually finalizing this thing, but I still think Odell Beckham Jr. will wind up with the New York Jets."
Last week, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers confirmed that he intends to play for the Jets next season pending a trade agreement between the two teams and -- despite denying reports reports that he gave the Jets a "wish list" that included Beckham and others -- admitted to having interest in the wide receiver joining him.
“First of all, who wouldn’t want to have Odell on their team? I mean, come on," Rodgers said while appearing on the Pat McAfee Show. "What are we talking about here? I don’t have demands. My only demand is for transparency, and if you say some bulls*** sometimes it’s not even worth it …”
The New England Patriots were also reported to be monitoring Beckham's recovery and attended his recent workout, according to Jeff Howe of the Athletic.
Beckham also teased a potential return to the New York Giants -- the Jets' MetLife Stadium co-tenants -- during a Twitter exchange with running back Saquon Barkley last Thursday (March 16).
Beckham shared a video of himself running routes amid his recovery from a torn ACL and ongoing free agency, which Barkley quote-tweeted with, "Still that MF."
Beckham, who was Barkley's Giants teammate during the running back's first NFL season in 2018 before being traded to the Cleveland Browns the following offseason, responded by telling him to tell general manager Joe Schoen to "call my agent" and added that he had "some more shxt left to do."
Beckham hasn't played since suffering a torn ACL during the Los Angeles Rams' Super Bowl LVI win in February 2022. The star receiver recorded two receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown before being ruled out in the second quarter due to the injury, which he later claimed he'd experienced prior to the Super Bowl.
Beckham was acquired by the Rams midway through the 2021 season and recorded 27 receptions for 305 yards and five touchdowns during his final eight regular-season games. The former LSU standout was selected by the Giants at No. 12 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft and spent five seasons with the franchise before being traded to the Cleveland Browns ahead of the 2019 NFL season.
The Jets have already made several wide receiver moves during the offseason, which included signing free agents Allen Lazard -- Rodgers' former Packers teammate and the team's leading receiver in 2022 -- and Mecole Hardman, as well as trading Elijah Moore.