NFL rumors: Chiefs have major JuJu Smith-Schuster replacement in mind

The Chiefs weren’t able to bring wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster back but they’re eyeing an upgrade to replace him in free agency.

Prior to the start of NFL free agency and the legal tampering period, the word was that the Kansas City Chiefs‘ plan at wide receiver was to allow Mecole Hardman to walk, elevate Kadarius Toney to being the WR1, and to bring JuJu Smith-Schuster back into the fold. That latter part proved to be a snag for the Super Bowl champions.

Smith-Schuster signed a three-year deal with the Patriots, thus leaving the Chiefs in a tough position moving forward at the position. The belief seems to remain that they won’t be able to bring Hardman back, so what does Kansas City do now to make sure Patrick Mahomes has weapons to target?

They might have someone in mind: Odell Beckham Jr.

According to NFL insider Jordan Schultz, as the number of suitors for Beckham appears to grow hourly, the Chiefs are now considered to be interested and in the mix for the free-agent wide receiver.

NFL rumors: Chiefs interested in Odell Beckham Jr. to replace JuJu Smith-Schuster

Beckham created a stir around the league late in the 2022 regular season as a potential return loomed and teams in need of receiver help pined to try and sign him. As it turns out, he was not healthy enough to take the field and remained without a home.

Now OBJ is healthy, something he put on display at a recent workout in front of potentially interested teams. And the Chiefs must’ve liked what they saw given their reported interest now.

Beckham was a shot in the arm for the Rams at the end of the 2021 regular season and in the playoffs before suffering a torn ACL in Los Angeles’ Super Bowl victory. Though on the wrong side of 30 now, the belief that he can be a high-end WR2 — especially in an offense as potent as Kansas City’s — is more than reasonable.

The real key to the Chiefs signing Beckham would be meeting terms as OBJ reportedly wants a multi-year deal and likely to be compensated pretty well. However, if it means putting Mahomes in the best position to succeed with Toney, Travis Kelce, OBJ, Isiah Pacheco and so on around him, it would be well worth it if they can make the money work.