At one point in his career, it could be argued Odell Beckham Jr. stood at the top of the NFL wide receiver mountain as one of the best pass catchers in the league. It’s a tier new Miami Dolphins teammate Tyreek Hill occupies now.
But by joining the Dolphins, the bold and sometimes brash receiver finds himself a little lower on the depth chart. Beckham said Wednesday he’s at peace coming to Miami and being more of a role player alongside Hill and potent wideout Jaylen Waddle with Tua Tagovailoa distributing the football.
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“I think we all just push each other. And for me, at this place in my life and my career, I haven’t been the No. 1 (WR) in a minute,” Beckham said in an introductory news conference. “You could go look at targets, you could go look at anything, that’s not really where I’ve been at.
“So just understanding your role and how can you be the very best at that role, maximize those opportunities. Don’t look for more or less, just stay within that present moment and I think you’ll find a way to succeed.”
Beckham hauled in 35 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns last season with the Baltimore Ravens. Those are far from the numbers the 2014 first-round pick once produced as a megastar for the first five years of his career with the New York Giants. Since then, he’s played for the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams and Ravens, enduring multiple torn ACL injuries, including in Super Bowl LVI.
The three-time Pro Bowler said he essentially knows he is who he is in terms of a player at this point without his previous persona interfering.
“It’s amazing. It gives you a huge sense of peace,” Beckham, 31, said. “I feel like I used to carry a lot of anger or resentment or whatever it was. Now I just feel at peace. You’re able to train, you’re able to play the game that you love again. You kind of get past all the business side or whatever could be holding you back. A part of me feels like this is an opportunity for it to just be football.”
How Beckham fits in Miami
It sounds like Beckham understands his role with the Dolphins considering who he’ll have around him. The Dolphins’ top receivers — Hill and Waddle — are some of the most potent pass catchers in the NFL.
Let’s take a glimpse at some advanced metrics for Hill and Waddle via TruMedia and Sports Info Solutions in these categories:
- Expected Points Added per target
- EPA per reception
- Catchable pass percentage
- Overall reception percentage
(Rankings in parenthesis, 59 qualified WRs, 75 or more targets to qualify)
| player | EPA/Tar | EPA/rec | Catchable% | Rec% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0.52 (4) | 1.2 (16) | 85.0 (23) | 69.2 (14) | |
0.41 (13) | 1.2 (14) | 83.7 (33) | 69.2 (15) |
Where should OBJ fit in this mix? In a smaller sample size, the veteran was still one of the more effective wideouts among those with between 40 and 74 targets. Here’s a glimpse at his numbers and rankings (35 qualified receivers):
| player | EPA/Tar | EPA/rec | Catchable% | Rec% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0.30 (10) | 1.4 (3) | 83.3 (11) | 54.7 (25) |
In terms of a complementary piece, Beckham should fit right in with this group and be an effective player within the Dolphins offense.
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(Photo: Carmen Mandato / Getty Images)
