Chad Johnson calls for Odell Beckham Jr. to join Bengals

Chad Johnson wants the big name to join a loaded wide receiver group.

Any Cincinnati Bengals fans who were around for Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson with the team know he knows how to make headlines.

Even in his life after football, he still knows how to catch people’s attention. His latest was making a call for one of the biggest names on the free agent market to join Cincinnati on his show Nightcap.

“Hey Odell, Odell Beckham, come on down to Cincinnati,” Johnson said. “Let me know what you think about that. Catching balls [pause] from Joe Burrow.”

Beckham may be one of the biggest names, but he is far from the player he was when he earned that recognition. He spent last season with the Baltimore Ravens with 35 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games. That seems like the kind of production you can expect from the 31-year-old. In fact, You have to go back to 2019 for his last season where he broke 1,000 yards and 50 receptions.

Beckham should have no trouble finding work in 2024, but it almost certainly won’t be with the Bengals. Tyler Boyd isn’t likely to return, but the team still has Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins to highlight the receiving group that has two young guys in Andrei Iosivas and Charlie Jones ready to step into snaps.

Also, tight end Mike Gesicki is most dangerous from that slot position Boyd thrived in.

The point being that Beckham is still in a place where he can compete to at the very least be the third target in an offense, and after the Ravens gave him $16 million, it is safe to say he is probably out of Cincinnati’s market. Not to mention if they were to give a contract of over $10 million to a receiver it probably would be Boyd.

Beckham still has some production ahead of him, but his best chance is not currently with the Bengals. Love Johnson, but there is a reason he isn’t in the front office.