Steelers rumors: Odell Beckham Jr. to Pittsburgh hype isn't going away

If there is one free agent we never thought we would be hearing about in connection to the Pittsburgh Steelers this offseason, it's Odell Beckham Jr. In his final stretch as general manager, Kevin Colbert handed Diontae Johnson a rich new contract extension and signed off by doubling up on wide receivers in the 2022 NFL Draft with George Pickens and Calvin Austin.

Last summer, the wide receiver position wasn't looking like a big need at all, but that changed in a hurry. Johnson took a big step back in terms of efficiency in 2022 while Austin and Anthony Miller ended up on IR before the season began. In addition, the Steelers shipped Chase Claypool away just before the trade deadline.

Right now, we are looking at a team with pretty thin depth at the position and possibly in need of an 'X' receiver if Johnson continues to struggle. At the very least, Kenny Pickett could use another viable option in the passing game.

Recently, NFL analyst Dan Orlovsky has been lobbying hard for the Pittsburgh Steelers to sign Odell Beckham Jr. After making the case for Beckham to Pittsurgh on 'Get Up,' Orlovsky joined the Pat McAfee Show to try to get the ball rolling.

Not only would the addition of Odell allow the Steelers to ignore the receiver position early in a poor WR draft class, but it would also give them an immediate boost on offense.

Under the past direction of Kevin Colbert, I would have said that there is no chance of this happening. While the Steelers haven't necessarily expressed interest in Beckham at this point in time, I wouldn't slam the door shut entirely.

With Omar Khan and Andy Weidl running things in the front office, the Steelers have already made a splash this free agency. They signed former All-Pro cornerback Patrick Peterson and were one of the three teams reportedly trying to land left tackle, Orlando Brown Jr.

Like Peterson, Beckham is past his prime at this point, but might still have some gas left in the tank. His last football came during the Rams Super Bowl run following the 2021 season, so he has had plenty of time to rehab from the torn ACL he suffered back then.

Odell has been a very good receiver throughout his career, but his age and injury history might make him a bit more affordable than some are predicting. Of course, the Steelers would have to be willing to deal with a little drama every now and then, but it's something Mike Tomlin knows full well how to handle at the WR position.

Orlovsky's reasoning certainly makes sense, the Steelers do need more firepower. After all, this is a team that managed a dismal 18.1 points per game in 2022. Whether or not Odell Beckham is truly on their free agency radar or not is another question entirely.