New England Patriots rumors: Odell Beckham Jr Belichick’s next treasure?

Will Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots finally capture the services of Odell Beckham Jr.?

A better question is whether the Patriots even need OBJ.

Now, talent wise, of course Mac Jones and that improving Pats’ offense could use a playmaker like Beckham Jr. who has No.1 receiver capability…when he is engaged. That is the key word, as a lack of motivation and engagement has led the Cleveland Browns to release the superstar receiver.

The problem is, there are other teams who will have interest in revitalizing OBJ if he clears waivers. But what team would be best fit in tapping into that potential.  The consensus is Belichick who has a history of getting the best out of star NFL players needing a change of scenery and a boost.

The New England Patriots are the ideal fit for Odell Beckham Jr.

NFL.com writer Chase Goodbread mentioned exactly that in listing the New England Patriots as one of the top 6 teams who would be the ideal fit for the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver.

In his article he writes:

"“There’s some history supporting New England as a destination that works out well for unhappy players (SEE: Randy Moss and Corey Dillon, among others). Why not OBJ? Bill Belichick has a reputation for getting the most out his players, a quality that would likely bring to light exactly how good Beckham can still be. At 4-4, the Patriots need to make a second-half push for a postseason berth, and their receiving corps could use an upgrade to go with the ever-improving Jakobi Meyers.”"

For a Patriots offense that is starting to click, there could be a risk in adding Odell Beckham Jr to the mix at this point in the season.  What if he comes to the team with the same attitude that led to the end of his tenure with the Cleveland Browns?

What happens in a game when he doesn’t get targeted?  Will he get in the way of the growth of rookie quarterback Mac Jones?

On the flip side of that, if  Beckham Jr. comes in and buys in, he is an extreme talent that would make the Patriots passing attack much better.  Not only would Jones have another big-time playmaker, but his presence would also open up opportunities for Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor and the tight end duo of Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith.

In other words, OBJ is that missing prize for the offense and as we witnessed with players like Randy Moss and Corey Dillion, Belichick has a way of reaching players like Beckham Jr if there is still something left in the tank and at 29 years old, there is still something in that tank and the Patriots coach may be the fuel needed to get that engine reeving up again.

As far as the Patriots having interest.  During his press conference with the media on Friday, Belichick made the following cryptic statement that didn’t exactly refrain from the possibility of adding Odell Beckham Jr. to the mix:

"“Yeah. We’ve done that before. We brought in [Aqib] Talib in the middle of the season. You’d have to evaluate any situation. I don’t really know any specifics to talk about, so at this point, there’s nothing to really talk about. We’d do anything we could to help our football team. We brought in James Harrison with one game to go in the season.”"

Anything is always possible with Belichick, so it wouldn’t be a surprise if OBJ is in a New England Patriots uniform in Week 10 when they take on the Cleveland Browns.  How poetic would that be for the player and the NFL?