Bills were 'in the mix' for Odell Beckham Jr. before he signed with AFC East rival

No, this isn't déjà vu.

Nov 16, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) reacts / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before—the Buffalo Bills almost signed wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

No, you’re not experiencing déjà vu, as the Bills, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, were “in the mix” to sign the two-time All-Pro wideout before he inked a one-year deal with the division rival Miami Dolphins. The reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs were also in conversations with Beckham before he opted to take his talents to South Beach.

“There were some other teams in the mix,” Fowler said on SportsCenter on Saturday morning, according to Bleacher Report’s Adam Wells. “I was told Kansas City was appealing to Odell Beckham, Buffalo as well. But in the end, he believes this offense can still help him prove something. This is a player who put up less than 600 yards last year in Baltimore; probably didn't go the way he wanted. So, he's going to go be the third option, of course, behind Jaylen Waddle and Tyreek Hill, but he feels like there's enough footballs to go around."

Beckham Jr.’s name has been heavily linked to Buffalo in the past, most notably during his 2022 free-agent tour that ultimately resulted in him remaining without a club. Heavily recruited by former Los Angeles Rams teammate Von Miller, Beckham visited Buffalo in November of 2022, this in addition to trips to Dallas and New York for a potential reunion with the Giants. The wideout would ultimately opt to remain a free agent throughout the duration of the 2022 season, fully rehabbing the torn ACL he had suffered in Super Bowl LVI before signing a one-year deal with the Baltimore Ravens in the offseason.

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Though not nearly as much smoke present for this round of Beckham rumors as was present in 2022, it makes sense that he considered taking his talents to Orchard Park before signing with the Dolphins; Miller, who has been outspoken in his desire to see the wideout don the iconic ‘charging Buffalo’ helmet, is still with the Bills, and the team, despite its selection of Florida State wide receiver Keon Coleman in the 2024 NFL Draft, could still use talent at the wide receiver position.

That said, it’s a hypothetical that ultimately works better in fantasy than in reality; the Bills have made a concerted effort to get younger at receiver in the 2024 offseason, with the likes of Coleman and Khalil Shakir figuring to play prominent roles in the offense. The 31-year-old Beckham, from this perspective, doesn’t necessarily fit; the contract worth up to $8.25 million ($3 million base) he received from Miami was likely a sticking point for the cash-strapped Bills, as well.

Though not a custom-made fit, Beckham Jr., who has caught 566 passes for 7,932 yards and 59 touchdowns throughout his professional career, would’ve added experience and talent to a Buffalo receiving corps in need of those elements. Bills fans, however, will get to see Beckham play this year—it’ll just be in a Dolphins uniform in the team’s twice-yearly matchups with Miami.