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Odell Beckham Jr. contract: Will OBJ be a free agent in 2022?

Pittsburgh Steelers v Cleveland Browns
Pittsburgh Steelers v Cleveland Browns

Odell Beckham Jr. and the Cleveland Browns' situation will be resolved soon. Both Beckham Jr. and the Browns will part ways after the AFC franchise waived the receiver.

Since stepping foot in Cleveland, it simply has not worked out for Beckham. It all came to a head when Odell's father posted an 11-minute video of Baker Mayfield missing the wide receiver while he was wide open.

It is hard to come back from and now attention will turn to Beckham Jr.'s next move. Perhaps the most significant factor will be his contract.

If Beckham is claimed off waivers, the Browns will not have to pay the remainder of his salary for the season. But if the receiver is not claimed off waivers, the Browns will have to pay Beckham Jr. all the money he is owed.

Divorce officially official: After days of negotiations, the Browns and Odell Beckham Jr. finally reached a settlement that will result in him being placed on waivers Monday, after which he can be claimed Tuesday at 4 pm, per league sources.

In all likelihood, no team will claim Beckham Jr. off waivers as they will need to pay his $7.25 million salary. Instead, teams will wait and then they can essentially get him for nothing.

Will Odell Beckham Jr. be a free agent in 2022?

The Cleveland Browns and Odell Beckham Jr. agreed to void the final two years of his contract that ran through the 2023 season, meaning the wide receiver will be a free agent at the end of this season.

As part of the settlement of the reworked contract before it is terminated, the Browns agreed to remove the final two years of Odell Beckham Jr.’s deal, meaning he now is scheduled to be a free agent after this season, per sources. Beckham had two years left on his deal.

Only a few teams have the cap space to afford to claim Beckham off waivers and none of them are contenders to win the Super Bowl this season. The wide receiver will likely clear waivers and be free to sign with a team of his liking next week.

The Las Vegas Raiders, New England Patriots, Green Bay Packers and the New Orleans Saints are all teams that could seriously benefit from signing Odell Beckham Jr.

If the Packers need another receiver to help ease the load on Davante Adams, they could sign Beckham. The Patriots have everything on offense except for a vertical threat that Odell could provide. The Raiders, now without Henry Ruggs III after that horror car crash, have an open spot at receiver. Derek Carr is having an MVP-caliber season and Beckham could be the missing piece for the Raiders to win the AFC West and embark on a deep playoff run.

Odell Beckham Jr.'s future beyond this year will largely be determined by his output this season. Should he go to a team that is contending for a Super Bowl and proves to be somewhat serviceable, then he very well could be getting another contract for the 2022 season?

An underrated aspect of the trade deadline every year is the flood of new Odell speculation jersey swaps https://t.co/xmS1jd7JbL

However, if the opposite happens and his form continues downward, then there is a real possibility that Odell Beckham Jr. will not have a team to play for in 2022.

It feels like he is at a crossroads in his career and his next stop has to be one where he rediscovers his form. Otherwise, another team might not come calling again.

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