Odell Beckham Jr. rumors: Patriots have reportedly been in touch with the free agent wide receiver

It seems that the New England Patriots have expressed some interest in Odell Beckham Jr. after he entered free agency for the first time in his career. According to a report by Jeff Howe of The Athletic, the Patriots “have been in touch” with the Pro Bowl wide receiver’s camp.

Beckham Jr, 29, became a free agent on Tuesday following his release by the Cleveland Browns. He passed through the waiver wire unclaimed due to his $7.25 million salary cap number, but is now available at any price — depending on what he and his representatives are looking for.

The Patriots being in the mix should not be seen as a surprise. For one, doing their due diligence on a high-quality player that just hit the open market is smart business. The team also is lacking an elite presence at the wide receiver position, despite seeing some solid contributions out of Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor. Beckham Jr, however, would add another, significantly dynamic presence to the group.

A former first-round draft pick by the New York Giants, Beckham Jr. quickly became a household name due to his spectacular performances. He later was traded to the Browns, where he struggled to carve out the same consistent role. Entering the 2021 season off a torn ACL, he has caught just 17 passes for 232 yards so far.