Odell Beckham Jr. came “very close” to joining the Saints

The Los Angeles Rams landed Odell Beckham Jr. back in November, but apparently, OBJ was seriously considering the New Orleans Saints as a destination.

To preface: we don’t think he has any regrets about his decision to go to the Rams. Beckham has since ingratiated himself well in the Rams’ offensive scheme and will compete for a Super Bowl against the Cincinnati Bengals this Sunday.

Had he joined the Saints, he would be sitting on his couch watching the game.

Still, OBJ came “very close” to signing with NOLA last year, telling reporters over a Zoom call that it was the right place but the wrong time.

A good follow-up question: What would have been the right time?

Rams’ Odell Beckham Jr. nearly signed with New Orleans Saints in 2021

Beckham’s answer likely would have pointed to the Saints’ struggling offense. No wide receiver comes to NOLA to play with Taysom Hill, and had Jameis Winston not gotten injured, NOLA may have had a stronger case to prove they were a playoff-contending team.

What’s done is done, and OBJ is set to play in the biggest game of his life on Sunday.

In eight regular season games in LA, Beckham recorded a respectable 305 yards and five touchdowns, but he ramped up his production levels in the postseason.

Through three playoff games, OBJ has racked up 236 yards and added just one score, but he’s recording a whopping 82.6 catch percentage.

Many would agree that if not for the OBJ trade, the Rams would not be where they are now.

It’s easy to imagine what OBJ could have done for the Saints had it been the right time, but dredging up the past isn’t going to help New Orleans prepare for the future.

For now, the Saints will need to look elsewhere for new wideout weapons, likely the 2022 NFL Draft.