Pete Carroll teases Seahawks interest in Odell Beckham Jr: 'You'll see'
Pete Carroll played it very coy on Monday when asked about Odell Beckham Jr.
But the Seattle Seahawks coach didn't rule out putting in a waiver claim for the now ex-Cleveland Browns receiver. He even appeared to take pleasure in teasing what the Seahawks plan/don't plan to do with the chance to secure Beckham's rights.
Pete Carroll is asked whether Seattle will claim Odell Beckham, Jr. He does not rule it out, ending his answer with this and a smile: “So, I didn’t say yes or I didn’t say no. That’s just cause…you’ll see.”
Seattle does have the cap space to take on the $7.25M owed to OBJ. pic.twitter.com/sNfq4wbkVq— Field Yates (@FieldYates) November 9, 2021
"You'll have to wait and see how this all goes," Carroll told reporters before a jumble of words that avoided answering directly whether or not the Seahawks would put in a claim. ... "So I didn't say yes, or I didn't say no. That's just 'cause — you'll see."
Well, that's intriguing.
We've been down this road before with Carroll, who told reporters last month that the Seahawks had reached out to quarterback Cam Newton after Russell Wilson was sidelined with a finger injury. Wilson was medically cleared for Week 10 and back at practice Monday. Newton remains a free agent.
The chance to add a potential game-changing receiver to a team in need of one and desperate to hold onto its fleeting playoff hopes is a different situation — and a considerably more complicated one.
Beckham has eyes on free agency, not a waiver claim
Yahoo Sports' Charles Robinson reported on Sunday that Beckham does not want to be claimed. He instead wants to be cleared for free agency with the chance to sign with the contender of his choice. Any team that makes a claim will do so at its own risk of alienating Beckham from the start.
Robinson also reports that Beckham worked out a deal with the Browns that will require any team that claims him to pay the entirety of his remaining $7.25 million in salary for 2021 — a deterrent of sorts for teams without salary-cap space to do so. The Seahawks happen to be one of nine teams with the cap space to absorb that salary, adding to the intrigue of Carroll's tease.
Seahawks, OBJ look like a good fit
Eight teams have higher waiver priority than the Seahawks. They're in that position because they're bad and don't have much motivation to sign a veteran receiver for a playoff run that isn't coming. The Seahawks, who don't have a clear No. 3 receiving option behind DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett, are trailing in the playoff hunt after a 3-5 start. But with Wilson back, there's hope in Seattle of a second-half run to the postseason, even if it's a long shot.
So, yeah. Seahawks interest in Beckham makes sense. Will they act on it amid a gantlet of complicating factors? Would it arrive on the waiver wire or via free agency after a roll of the dice? As Carroll said, we'll have to wait and see.
