The mission of the off-season for the Chicago Bears was simple, give Mitchell Trubisky weapons on offense. So far, Pace has added a few dynamic weapons to surround Trubisky with and expectations are high for this team in 2018. For the first time in years, there’s hope and optimism surrounding this historic franchise. But what if Pace made one more move that would put the team over the top and give Trubisky, arguably, the best weapons in the league?
Odell Beckham Jr. is a superstar wide-receiver for the New York Giants. Drafted out of LSU in the 1st round in 2014, Beckham came in his rookie year and set the league on fire. Known for his incredible playmaking ability and one-handed grabs (see below), there’s a case to be made that Odell is the best wide receiver in the entire NFL.
News broke this morning, via Ian Rapoport, that OBJ will not set foot on the field without a long-term contract in place. Odell is still on his rookie deal and wants to be paid like the top wide receiver that he is, understandably so, and he’s willing to hold out until this takes place.
From @gmfb: My understanding is that #Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr will not set foot on a field without a new contract extension agreed to — with the #Giants or any team. … This comes a day after owner John Mara said no one is “untouchable” in trade talks.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) March 26, 2018
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The most interesting part about all of this is that yesterday, Giants owner John Mara, claimed that no one on the roster is untouchable after going 3-13.
Is there any sort of possibility that OBJ could be pried away from the Giants?
Ian Rapoport and Peter Schrager, two amazing NFL Insiders, seem to believe this situation is far from over.
So, then the question becomes…what’s he worth? If you put OBJ in a vacuum and simply talk about his play on the football field, there’s no way that he becomes available on the trade market. He’s just too good. But there are major off-the-field behavior issues.
If you follow football in the off-season at all, you’ve probably seen the video of OBJ circulating. You also know that he has a reputation for being a distraction away from the stadium and in the locker room…an overall headache for the owners and coaching staff.
Would the Bears be interested in acquiring OBJ? What would it cost?
If the Bears are truly interested in giving Trubisky weapons in year two, picking up the phone and calling Dave Gettleman can’t hurt. Would the Bears have to part with their #8 overall pick? Or would their second rounder and a late round pick suffice? We just saw Jarvis Landry, another talented wide-receiver, go for what seemed like pennies on the dollar.
It really boils down to two questions: what’s the price going to be and is he worth the headache? Ryan Pace has brought on guys with off-the-field issues before and it’s blown up in his face (see Ray McDonald). But with a solid locker room environment could adding one guy create an issue? There’s a big question when it comes to risk/reward.
Imagine if Pace got Odell Beckham Jr. from the Giants. OBJ and Allen Robinson on the outside with Taylor Gabriel manning the slot, Trey Burton as the main tight end and Jordan Howard and Tarik Cohen in the backfield…
The Bears might go from playoff hopefuls to Super Bowl Favorites overnight. The question remains though if OBJ is worth the risk and the money he’s going to demand.
Should Ryan Pace pick up the phone? What say you Bears fans??
