Former Cleveland Browns star Odell Beckham Jr. is inching closer to an NFL return, with one of his old teams expressing interest.
The former Cleveland Browns wide receiver, who turned 33 in November and hasn’t appeared in an NFL game since December 2024, is generating legitimate buzz about a return. The catalyst was his performance during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Los Angeles earlier this month. Beckham looked sharp and went viral with one of his patented one-handed catches.
The New York Giants — the franchise that drafted Beckham 12th overall in 2014 — have emerged as a realistic landing spot. Beckham traveled to Arizona this week to meet with the Giants at the NFL’s annual league meetings. He sat down with head coach John Harbaugh and others in a significant step toward a potential reunion. No deal is imminent, but mutual interest appears to be building.
“The obvious pat answer would be you look at every option,” Harbaugh said, per ESPN. “And if Odell is an option, we’ll be looking at him for sure.”
Giants general manager Joe Schoen echoed that sentiment.
“If we find a player that’s gonna help us, that makes sense for the organization, we’ll continue to pursue,” Schoen said. “So, he’s on there, if it makes sense. I know [Harbaugh] talked about it a little bit earlier. We’ll never not pursue someone that can help.”
Harbaugh added that his relationship with Beckham has remained strong since they worked together with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023.
“He and I do talk. We do text,” Harbaugh said. “We’ve maintained a really great relationship. He’s one of my very favorite people in the world.”
Momentum Around OBJ Return
Beckham made his intentions clear on a return after the flag football event in an interview with Kay Adams.
“Looking forward to hopefully getting an opportunity to play this year, and this is kind of just the starting point,” Beckham said.
When Adams brought up the Giants and Jaxson Dart specifically, Beckham’s response was telling.
“Weird you say that. That sounds great; if that opportunity presents itself, I would love to do that. I would be excited about that. [Dart’s] a good dude,” Beckham said. “He’s young. He likes to dance. I like all that. So he looks like he likes to have fun.”
Beckham is a big name, but his lack of NFL reps lately is a cause for concern for any team considering signing him. After sitting out 2022 to recover from a knee injury, he signed with Baltimore in 2023 and produced 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns under Harbaugh. A move to Miami in 2024 yielded just nine catches for 55 yards in nine games before the Dolphins waived him.
Cleveland Return Unlikely for Odell Beckham
The Browns swung big in 2019, acquiring Beckham in a blockbuster deal that sent Jabrill Peppers, Kevin Zeitler, and a package of premium draft picks to New York.
But Beckham’s time in Cleveland never fully clicked. Injuries and off-field tension derailed the partnership, ultimately leading to his midseason release in 2021. He quickly resurfaced with the Los Angeles Rams, where he made an immediate impact. He notched a touchdown catch for LA in a win at Super Bowl LVI.
The Browns have made it clear they want to upgrade their wide receiver room this offseason, but a reunion with Beckham appears unlikely. Beckham is familiar with new head coach Todd Monken from their time together in Baltimore under Harbaugh. But Cleveland isn’t in a position to invest snaps in a veteran still trying to reestablish his footing.
Instead, the Browns are more likely to build through the draft. With two first-round picks, Cleveland has the flexibility to target a premium pass-catcher and inject much-needed upside into the offense.