Star WR Odell Beckham Jr. is close to receiving full medical clearance, with the expectation he could receive it by the end of this week. Once cleared, the belief is that he will sign with a team for the remainder of the 2022 season.
Beckham tore his left ACL earlier this year on February 13 during the second quarter of the Rams’ Super Bowl victory on a noncontact play. It was the same ACL he tore back in October 2020 so there was a lot of speculation surrounding his return to the league.
After undergoing surgery, Beckham hushed all rumors about his future, stating that he was going to return in 2022 but he would consider all options given his free agency status.
Throughout much of the offseason, the Rams made it clear that they wanted Beckham back once healthy, however the two sides didn’t appear close to a deal in October when he went on the record saying he didn’t want to sign for “less than [he] was worth.”
Now, with a return on the horizon, the leading favorites to land Beckham are the Rams, Packers, and Bills. But those aren’t the only teams rumored to be making a pitch to land him. Other teams interested include the Buccaneers, Chiefs, Giants, and Saints.
Initially the expectation was that he would make his debut in mid-November, and while there have been no reported setbacks in his recovery, it’s more likely that he makes his season debut in early December. Our algorithm predicts he has reached Optimal Recovery, and that his Injury Risk is Low, while his Health Performance Factor is Peak.
Given that this is his second ACL tear, Beckham taking a slower approach is the best option. It’s also worth noting that this tear was considered “clean,” meaning that there isn’t any concern over the surrounding ligaments and structures.
