It looks like Odell Beckham Jr. is officially bypassing a potential reunion with the Giants for a shot with the rival Cowboys.
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones said the former Giants receiver is close to signing a deal for the rest of the season with Dallas, barely 10 months after suffering a torn ACL with the Rams in the Super Bowl.
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“Odell’s going to join us,” Jones told USA TODAY Sports.
“There’s a good chance he will, with the complete goal of getting ready for a playoff game or two, and then I’ll look to the future. But most of it being about now.”
The 30-year-old Beckham also visited with the Giants and the Bills earlier this month, although his return to the Giants never seemed likely despite injuries to Sterling Shepard and rookie Wan’Dale Robinson and little production from $72 million signing Kenny Golladay.
The 30-year-old Beckham was a three-time Pro Bowl receiver during his first five NFL seasons with the Giants from 2014-18 before he was traded to the Browns in March of 2019.
Jones added that any deal with the 30-year-old Beckham would not become official until after the Cowboys (10-3) put their four-game winning streak on the line Sunday against the Jaguars.
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“He’s been working out, and of course he’s extraordinary,” Jones said. “I’m hopeful we can get into some important games and have some Deion Sanders-type results.
“Could this be possible to have a great player like that get in two or three playoff games and make some significant plays? I think very much so. That’s not an exaggerated thought at all.”
“Good for him. That’s all I really got to say. Good for him,” Giants running back Saquon Barkley told The Post when informed of the pending deal. “Wish him the best. He’s obviously one of my good friends. He probably chose what he felt was best for him, and I’m happy for him. But I would have loved it to be here.”
Barkley also suffered a torn ACL in Sept. 2020 and returned to action last season, totaling 593 rushing yards over 13 appearances. One year later, he currently leads the NFC in rushing with 1,083 yards in 13 games, with eight touchdowns and an additional 261 yards on 42 receptions.
“At the end of the day, I just want him to be smart, be safe. Trust it,” Barkley said. “He’s a grown up, he won’t go out there without knowing he can go out there and feel like he can’t play. Wish him nothing but the best.”
Earlier this month, Beckham Jr. attended a Mavericks game with Cowboys stars Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs during a free agency tour that included stops in Buffalo and with the Giants.
But it appeared as though the sides would go their separate ways with the Cowboys reportedly unsure Beckham would be ready to play this season.
Just three days ago, Jones was telling 105.3 the Fan in Dallas that Beckham Jr. would not be recovered from his knee injury in time to play this season, and that the Cowboys would be interested in potentially adding him for next season. The Cowboys also signed TY Hilton, which implied the pursuit of Beckham Jr. was over.
But that was then. Now, it appears Beckham Jr. will indeed join the Cowboys as they strive to win their first Super Bowl since Troy Aikman, Emmitt Smith and Michael Irvin were on the team in the mid-90’s.
This article first appeared on The New York Postand was reproduced with permission.
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