As evidenced by the contract accepted by safety C.J. Gardner-Johnson, we’re firmly into the one-year deal phase of free agency. For one high-profile free agent who actually has been available to any team for more than a year now, the question becomes whether he will eventually accept a one-year deal.
And, if so, what the value of it will be.
Receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. has yet to get an offer he can’t or won’t refuse. He suggested on Saturday that he has received one or more offers in the range of $4 million. He made it clear he’s not interested in that.
So what will attract his interest? Will it take $10 million? How about $15 million? Even though OBJ has bristled at the notion he’s looking for $20 million, that’s the number that continues to make the rounds. (Indeed, we’ve heard that he has specifically cited that number when recently speaking to a player who could potentially be his next quarterback.)
Why wouldn’t Beckham want $20 million per year? Why wouldn’t he think he deserves it?
Look at this way. Does OBJ believe he’s a top 15 receiver in the NFL? If he does, then he also presumably wants $20 million per year — since the 15th highest-paid receiver (Brandin Cooks) has a deal with an average payout of $19.882 million.
