The Dallas Cowboys may be the odds on favorite to land former All Pro wide receiver and Super Bowl Champion Odell Beckham JR in free agency but the majority of Cowboys fans are not buying it. Not without good reason either. As fans of the most marketable and high profile franchise in the National Football league, members of Cowboys Nation are accustomed to being identified as the favorite to land big name free agents. This remains true despite the team’s recent track record of refusing to dish out large contracts or roll the dice on long term deals.
There are many reasons why Cowboys free agency news garners a lot of attention of course. For one thing, talking about the Dallas Cowboys is a surefire way to make headlines whether the source is a National media syndicate or an aspiring social media influencer. There is also no shortage of current and former superstars who publicly express their desire to play for America’s Team. Whether those players are sincere about that desire or just attempting to drive up their market value is a popular topic for debate. Then perhaps the biggest reason is that half of these rumors are perpetuated by an owner who has proven to know a thing or two about marketing his football team even if the on the field product is lacking.
If history repeats itself, Cowboys fans on “Odell Beckham JR watch” will get excited for a few weeks only to watch helplessly as the superstar receiver signs a long term deal with the Bills, 49ers, Chiefs, or Packers. One of those teams being willing to take a bigger risk, offer more money, or more years while the Cowboys front office tells us that they wanted to get a deal done but…“at the end of the day, the cost was too high…we were too far apart in negotiations…we couldn’t agree on the wording of the contract…the number of years…when you pay your quarterback…not enough pie to go around…we like our guys…blah, blah blah, blah, blah“. So is all this talk of Odell Beckham JR hoopla just another pipe dream in the tradition of Von Miller, Jamal Adams, or Earl Thomas destined to disappoint Cowboys fans?
Maybe, just maybe, this time is a little different. There are some notable distinctions here that may give Cowboys fans hope (or despair depending on your position). First off, this is a player that is coming off of 2 major knee injuries. For some this is a major red flag. I personally feel differently given the advances in modern medicine and how athlete’s are able to rehabilitate themselves these days, but for some other suitors this may be enough to limit the asking price/length of contract. Another reason is that so many Cowboys players and Cowboys insiders have been vocal about it. Players are openly recruiting him to Dallas and many trusted sources have expressed their belief that a deal will get done. As far as history goes, although the Cowboys have not been big players in free agency for nearly a decade, Jerry Jones does have a long history of making rather rash decisions when it comes to wide receivers. Joey Galloway, Terrell Owens, Roy Williams, Dez Bryant, and more recently Amari Cooper. Perhaps it is a result of his regret over not drafting Randy Moss, but the owner seems to have a soft spot when it comes to big name receivers. Finally, it seems like a match made in heaven, much like it was with Terrell Owens many moons ago. The most marketable franchise in professional sports signing one of the biggest and most dynamic personalities in the NFL? It would be a a marketing dream.
One final thing to consider. If the Cowboys did sign Odell Beckham JR it would without a doubt be a great business move, but would it truly be a good move for the football team? There are no shortage of critical Cowboys fans who hope that the Cowboys avoid signing Odell. There are concerns about his health, his age, and the wear and tear he has already sustained on his body. There are concerns over his character or impact on the locker room. There are even concerns about how a player like Beckham might disrupt the chemistry of a team that is seemingly coming together offensively. I for one do not share any of these concerns. The injuries are a risk but the potential reward is far greater. I am not concerned about the character of a player who is 30 years old and just helped the Rams win a championship. I also have no concerns about chemistry. The offense has some weaknesses and adding talent and depth is the best way to help the team if they want to make a playoff run. Winning a championship is not easy and other teams around the league such as the Chiefs, Bucs, and Rams have shown that taking risks and being aggressive is a critical component of achieving that type of success.
Whether or not the Dallas Cowboys do end up signing Odell Beckham JR turns out to be fact or fiction is a total mystery to me. All that I do know for certain is that I am all for it.
*Photo by Erik Drost https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/legalcode