Odell Beckham Jr. may be well past his prime, but he’s still one of the NFL’s most recognizable and wideouts when the lights are bright.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Beckham has shown he can deliver in big moments—most notably during the Rams’ 2021 Super Bowl run. After a quiet 2024 with Miami, he’s on the market again, and a team like the 49ers could be a good fit.
“There might not be a team more desperate for proven receiver help than the 49ers,” Cody Benjamin wrote on August 13, adding:
“A healthy Christian McCaffrey would certainly help Kyle Shanahan and Brock Purdy weather the absence of the recovering Brandon Aiyuk, whose 2024 ACL tear could keep him sidelined for the first month of the season. But Purdy still needs pass targets. George Kittle is still a stud, but out wide, Jauan Jennings is also in the midst of an injury/contract situation, and second-year veteran Ricky Pearsall has also battled his own fair share of bumps and bruises.”
A Look Back at OBJ’s NFL Career
Named AP Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2014, OBJ was named to three straight Pro Bowls from 2014–16, winning a Super Bowl ring with the Rams to cap his 2021 campaign. He was also named a second-team All-Pro twice.
Across 119 career games, he has 575 catches for 7,987 yards and 59 touchdowns. Beckham’s best season came in 2015 (96 catches, 1,450 yards, 13 TDs), followed by a stellar 2016 campaign (career-high 101 receptions for 1,367 yards and 10 scores).
Recent seasons tell the story of an aging vet who suffered a career-altering injury. After a mid-2021 trade to the Rams, he tore his ACL in the Super Bowl. He sat out the 2022 season to recover, and signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023. There, he played in 14 games (six starts), finishing with 35 catches for 565 yards (that’s a very solid 16.1 yards per catch) and three TDs.
OBJ signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins in 2024, catching just nine passes for 55 yards in nine games. He’s made clear he intends to keep playing in 2025, so should the 49ers be interested?
Should 49ers Sign Odell Beckham Jr. Amid WR Injuries?
GettyShould the San Francisco 49ers sign wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.?
It’s fair to suggest San Francisco’s WRs room could use a little veteran insurance. With the team’s aforementioned injury issues, the Niners are literally hurting right now.
But would OBJ be a good thing for San Francisco’s offense? Kyle Shanahan likes receivers who can separate with timing and feel and win from multiple alignments. Even in a secondary role with Baltimore, Beckham’s 2023 efficiency (16.1 yards per catch) showed he can still threaten vertically and punish soft zones.
Beckham can move inside/out and work play-action crossers and deep digs, and he’d enough attention to help create space for Aiyuk, Pearsall and Kittle.
He’d also surely be affordable. Beckham played on a one-year, incentive-laden deal in Miami last year (his salary was $3 million, maxing to $8.25 million with incentives). After a quiet 2024, he should be an attainable veteran with a price tage similar to or below what he commanded last year.
If he’s healthy and ready to go, he could be a low-risk, high-reward addition for San Francisco.
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