Odell Beckham Jr. is Willing to Sacrifice a Smaller Salary to Remain With Rams Beyond Super Bowl LVI

Odell Beckham Jr. is set to be a free agent in March, but he already has a vision for what that may look like.
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THOUSAND OAKS – The Rams signed wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. during the midpoint of the 2021 season following a rocky fallout with the Cleveland Browns.

Beckham requested to be traded or released and eventually hit the free-agent market after his stint in Cleveland went sour. 

His market included a handful of teams that drew interest – particularly those in the playoff hunt looking to obtain a talented pass-catcher who could inevitably put them over the hump for the second half of the season.

Beckham and the Rams came to terms on a one-year, $1.25 million contract, a club-friendly deal considering the value he's brought to the team. 

While Beckham accounted for just seven touchdowns in 29 games during his time in Cleveland, he's returned to his Pro Bowl level form, registering six touchdowns this season since coming to Los Angeles. Beckham has found a situation in which both he and the team are finding success, and he said Friday that he'd like to stick with the Rams following Super Bowl LVI.

“Yeah, of course,” Beckham said with a smile when asked by Nick Shook of NFL.com if he'd be willing to take a smaller salary to remain with the Rams.

Jan 23, 2022; Tampa, Florida, USA; Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. (3) warms up before play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a NFC Divisional playoff football game at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Pendleton-USA TODAY Sports

Beckham has made an estimated career earnings of $81.8 million, per Spotrac.com. He's already faced a situation that didn’t provide him with the best opportunity to thrive in, therefore, Beckham appears set on wanting to play under coach Sean McVay's tutelage and catch passes from quarterback Matthew Stafford in the season’s ahead.

“This place, it feels good in my heart," Beckham said. "It feels like a home.”

Since joining L.A., Beckham has emerged as a consistent target opposite of Cooper Kupp, consuming the role as the No. 2 wideout position with Robert Woods out for the season due to a torn ACL.

Beckham has shown to be the type of player who elevates his game when the stakes are taken to greater heights. Two weeks ago in the NFC Championship game, Beckham logged nine catches for 113 yards.

If he does indeed re-sign with the Rams after becoming a free agent this offseason, you'd have to imagine that the chemistry between him and Stafford will only take steps forward as they get more reps with one another.


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Nick Cothrel is the publisher of Ram Digest. Follow Nick and Ram Digest on Twitter @NickCothrel & @RamDigestSI for more Rams coverage.


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Nicholas Cothrel
NICHOLAS COTHREL

Nick Cothrel covers the Los Angeles Rams for Sports Illustrated.