This story was originally published by Dead Spin
Odell Beckham Jr. is not ready to practice with the Miami Dolphins, but head coach Mike McDaniel tamped down any concern about the 31-year-old being ready for the regular season.
Beckham was placed on the physically unable to perform list with an undisclosed injury at the start of training camp. Last week, McDaniel said he would classify the receiver as “week to week.”
But McDaniel said Beckham already has convinced teammates he’s a hard worker without being on the grass during live practice sessions. Beckham signed a one-year deal with Miami in the offseason after being released by the Baltimore Ravens.
“What you don’t want, and what I know Odell doesn’t want is getting on the grass and then leaving it,” McDaniel said Tuesday. “So just preparing people to be the version of themselves where they play confident and convicted. … Odell, his teammates know he’s working hard because he shows them that every day as he gets back on the field. He didn’t sign up for football to be in meetings. Even though my meetings are super entertaining, I don’t think that was the case. He’s working his way to be back on the field.”
Beckham appeared in 14 games (six starts) last season and caught 35 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns. He added four receptions for 34 yards in the playoffs with the Ravens.
Beckham, a three-time Pro Bowl selection, gives quarterback Tua Tagovailoa a third reliable option behind stars Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle.
Miami is the fifth stop for Beckham. The New York Giants selected him No. 12 overall in the 2014 NFL Draft, and he also played for the Cleveland Browns (2019-21), Los Angeles Rams (2021) and Ravens.
Beckham missed the 2022 season as he recovered from a torn ACL suffered in the Rams’ win in Super Bowl LVI.
He has 566 career receptions for 7,932 receiving yards and 59 touchdowns in 110 games (97 starts).
–Field Level Media
