Former All-Pros OBJ and Cam Newton Get Their 2nd Second Chance

Odell Beckham Jr seemed destined for a divorce from the Cleveland Browns for several weeks. In three seasons with the Browns, Beckham never equaled the success he found as one of the top receivers in the game when he was a member of the New York Giants.

He struggled with serious injuries and never really seemed on the same page with quarterback Baker Mayfield when he was on the field. Beckham himself never said so, but his father did quite a bit of talking about Mayfield’s inability to get his son the ball during their Browns tenure together.

After the Browns couldn’t find a trade partner at the NFL trade deadline, the team ultimately placed Beckham on waivers. He went unclaimed and, when he became a free agent, it came as no surprise that along with wanting to play for a contending team, he also was prioritizing places where he’d be paired with an elite quarterback. 

The Green Bay Packers quickly emerged as a favorite for Beckham’s services, but the Los Angeles Rams swooped in late and ended up signing him. Along with the chance to play with Matthew Stafford, an MVP candidate this season, Beckham was reportedly impressed by coach Sean McVay’s clear vision for how Beckham would fit into an offense already full of talent at the skill positions.

The Rams already have stars at the receiver position in Cooper Cupp and Robert Woods. Cupp has 74 catches for over 1,000 yards and 10 touchdowns already through nine games this season. Woods has 45 catches for 556 yards and four touchdowns. Receiver Van Jefferson and tight end Tyler Higbee are also regular targets in the passing game.

However, Beckham became more than a luxury to add depth almost immediately after he was signed. Woods tore his ACL in practice late last week and will miss the rest of the season. Expect Beckham to get ramped up in the offense quickly, and for Jefferson to take on a bigger role in Woods’ absence. 

Beckham has 17 catches for 232 yards a no touchdowns this season, and the former big play threat has a long play of just 26 yards this season. The Rams are hoping he still has the ability to take the top off the defense. Stafford throws one of the most accurate deep balls in the league, so if Beckham can get separation and take advantage of single coverage he’s likely to get thanks to the attention Cupp and Woods receive, he could add a new explosive element to an already good Los Angeles offense.

Beckham wasn’t the only former star to get a new opportunity this week, though. For Cam Newton, he will be re-proving himself in a familiar place.

Newton signed with the Carolina Panthers, a team that released him less than two years ago, and a franchise he led to a Super Bowl and won an MVP award with.

Newton hasn’t played since the preseason, when he was released by the New England Patriots. He now has a chance to rescue Carolina’s season.

The Panthers started the season 3-0, but have gone just 1-5 in their last six games and fallen to last place in the NFC South. They’re not completely out of it, though. They trail division leader Tampa Bay by 2.5 games, but they’re only a half-game out of a Wild Card spot at the moment. 

They lost starting quarterback to a shoulder injury that will cost him at least a month and possibly more to recover. Darnold hadn’t been particularly effective when he was healthy, though. He’s completing less than 60 percent of his passes and has thrown 11 interceptions with only seven touchdowns.

Newton likely won’t start this week, but could be in the lineup soon for the Panthers. PJ Walker, who has been the backup all season, will likely start Carolina’s next game.

How much Newton has left is a question. Last season with New England, he completed 65 percent of his passes, but only had 8 touchdowns with 10 interceptions. He was a force on the ground, rushing for over nearly 600 yards and 12 touchdowns. Those 12 rushing touchdowns are the second-best mark of his career.

One advantage he has is that he should be relatively recovered from the various injuries he deals with because he takes so much punishment in the running game. His ability to make plays with his legs will be a big upgrade in Carolina’s lineup, and he’ll also be motivated to rewrite his narrative with the franchise after an acrimonious exit in 2019. 

Panthers coach Matt Rhule is certainly hoping the signing offers the team more upside at the position than they’ve had so far this season.

“I’ll just say that I really want him on the team and I really want him to be healthy,” Rhule told USA Today. “I know when Cam’s healthy, who he is and the type of player that he is…When Cam’s healthy, he’s one of the best of the best.”