Odell Beckham Jr. Mocks Report He's Signing With Dolphins

Are the Miami Dolphins still viewed as the front-runners for Odell Beckham Jr.?

Dec 25, 2023; Santa Clara, California, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) / Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports

Odell Beckham Jr. sparingly posts on X, the social media format formerly known as Twitter.

Beckham, a three-time Pro Bowl selection who has started 97 NFL games, has posted or replied to someone on the format 13 times in 2024.

The free agent receiver used two of those posts Saturday to dispel rumors that he’s on the verge of signing with the Miami Dolphins, which were fueled by a social media post from Tyreek Hill that may or may not have been fake saying Beckham to Miami was "confirmed."

“[Laugh out loud]. Confused today. Did I sign somewhere?” Beckham wrote on on X. “[Everybody] keeps hitting me.”

When a Baltimore Ravens fan responded to his post by sending Beckham a picture of him wearing a Dolphins jersey, and citing a non-credible report that he was joining the Dolphins, Beckham went out his way to make a joke of the report.

“Damnnn, sources gottttt it again,” he wrote, using three laughing emojis to close the response.

While the Dolphins have expressed interest in Beckham, who earned $16 million from the Ravens last season, so have other teams, and no deal has been reached.

HOW WOULD OBJ FIT INTO MIAMI?

The Dolphins need a possession receiver who can masquerade as a between-the-hashes target, and that’s exactly the role Beckham played last season for the Ravens, contributing 565 receiving yards and three touchdowns on the 35 receptions he pulled down in the 16 games he played in 2024.

However, these days Beckham, who sat out a year of football rehabbing a knee injury in 2022. is more of a big name than he is a game changer.

He was a 1,000-yard receiver five times in his nine seasons, but has spent the majority of the past seven years battling through serious injuries, and fighting off rust.

Only time will tell how this courtship of Beckham, who has contributing 566 receptions for 7,932 yards and 60 touchdowns, plays out. Both parties easily could move on to explore other options and avenues.

But the fact Beckham is the first, and only outside receiver brought in for a visit, a courtship that became public in late March, hints that Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel sees something he wants, and can use, and has instructed the powers that be to go get it.

As it stand, Braxton Berrios, River Cracraft, who were both re-signed this offseason, Erik Ezukanma, a 2022 fourth-round pick who was sidelined by a neck injury last year, and Braylon Sanders and Anthony Schwartz, two youngster who spent time on Miami’s practice squad last season, are competing to see who will compliments Hill and Jaylen Waddle as Miami’s third receiver.

WHO COULD BECOME THIRD PASS CATCHER?

However, it’s possible that the Dolphins could also use newly acquired tight end Jonnu Smith in that role because the former FIU tight end, who has started 78 games in his seven NFL seasons, is well respected as a seam threat weapon, and led the NFL in yards after the reception for all tight ends in 2023.

The Dolphins have also expressed interest in free agent receiver Tyler Boyd, who has mostly worked in the slot during his tenure with the Cincinnati Bengals. But Boyd has not visited Miami, and is seemingly taking his time picking where he'll sign.

Also, receiver happens to be one of the deepest positions in the 2024 NFL draft. Six receivers have been given a first-round grade. The Dolphins could easily supplement that position by selecting one of the college receivers they like with one of the team’s six draft picks, which includes two picks in the draft’s top 55 selections.