Lions Have Two Crucial Reasons to Sign Star WR Who Was Just Cut on Friday

He may not have made any impact on the field so far in 2024, but he's still a headline grabber, so you probably know by now that Odell Beckham Jr. has been cut by the Miami Dolphins.

He made no impact for them this season, catching just 9 passes for 55 yards while seeing the field on just 20% of the offensive snaps across nine active games. So most fans are simply reacting to the news with jokes about how washed up he is.

But Beckham would actually be a terrific signing for the Detroit Lions as they gear up for a playoff run, and there are two main reasons for it.

Why the Detroit Lions Must Sign Odell Beckham Jr.

The first point that has to underlie any claims of Beckham being important is that he's not nearly as washed up as you might think.

The Obvious Reason

Did he make an impact in Miami? No, but there are not many WR3s out there who would have. This is a team that has directed 88.8% of its targets to either its top two WRs (Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle) or running backs and tight ends. That's not just because Beckham didn't earn looks as the WR3 either — the rate was 82.3% in 2023.

But the last time he had an opportunity, which was not all that long ago in 2023, Beckham quietly racked up over 500 yards and graded out No. 27 among 85 qualifying wideouts in PFF's receiving grade.

And you probably don't need me to tell you that the Lions could really use another capable wideout. Amon-Ra St. Brown is as elite as ever, but while Jameson Williams rips off his occasional big plays and Tim Patrick is a great comeback story, that's simply not a deep enough receiving corps. Relying on the husk of Allen Robinson (decidedly more washed up than Beckham) as the fourth wide receiver could be a disaster if anyone gets banged up in the playoffs.

The Cutthroat Strategy Play

But the other important reason to sign Beckham doesn't have anything to do with the Lions' roster.

The only teams eyeing Beckham right now are going to be other Super Bowl contenders. Baltimore, of course, has had a firsthand look at his play pretty recently. But consider that the Lions' top competition in the NFC, the Philadelphia Eagles, are hurting for WR depth too. And the Kansas City Chiefs, who FanDuel Sportsbook has as the Lions' most likely Super Bowl opponent, also make a lot of sense as a landing spot.

Missing out on Beckham would not only sting because it would keep the Lions thin at wide receiver but it would also more than likely lead to a situation where some of the Lions' toughest competition for a Super Bowl run ends up getting a boost at a position of need as well.

Detroit needs to act immediately and try to claim Beckham off waivers before he clears on Monday.

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