Beckham opts to join Rams’ receiving corps
Carolina lures back Newton in wake of injury to Darnold
THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — When the Los Angeles Rams learned they had a chance to land Odell Beckham Jr., their veterans assembled in the locker room Thursday morning. Jalen Ramsey made a call, and the Rams took turns recruiting the veteran receiver to their West Coast home.
“Felt like college, huh?” receiver Robert Woods said with a grin.
The Rams clearly sold themselves and their Super Bowl vision quite well to the mercurial receiver.
Beckham agreed to a one-year deal with Los Angeles, choosing this burgeoning super team over several potential free-agent destinations.
The Browns released the disgruntled Beckham on Monday, midway through his third season in Cleveland. He cleared waivers Tuesday with no team willing to pick up the $7.25 million he was owed under his last contract, freeing the five-time 1,000-yard wideout to sign with any team.
After considering his options and getting the full-court press from his future teammates, Beckham elected to join NFL yards passing leader Matthew Stafford and coach Sean McVay in the league’s most productive passing offense.
“I have a lot of respect for who he is as a player,” said Stafford, who played with Beckham in a Pro Bowl. “It’s an opportunity for us as a team. It’s an opportunity for him to come in here and prove himself to us. What our room is about, the receiver room, is pretty special. I know he’ll fit right in and just continue to get better, and hopefully it will help us as a team.” PANTHERS: Superman has returned. Whether or not Cam Newton can rescue Carolina’s sinking season remains to be seen.
The Panthers (4-5) announced they’ve signed Newton to a one-year contract, bringing him back to the franchise that drafted him No. 1 overall in 2011 — and later cut him prior to the 2020 season after he lost eight straight games as a starter.
The deal is worth $10 million, including $4.5 million in fully guaranteed money and a $1.5 million roster bonus, according to a person familiar with the situation. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the team does not announce financial terms of players’ contracts.
“A healthy Cam Newton is a special player,” Panthers coach Matt Rhule said.
Carolina was in need of a quarterback after an MRI on Monday revealed starter Sam Darnold would miss at least four weeks with a incomplete fracture of his right shoulder blade. Rhule said he called Newton on Tuesday night to gauge his interest in returning to Carolina, and the quarterback was excited about the possibility.
Rhule said P.J. Walker will still start Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals and Matt Barkley, signed off the Tennessee Titans practice squad earlier in the week, will serve as his primary backup. Rhule isn’t sure if Newton would be active this week because he hasn’t practiced yet.
Rhule wouldn’t speculate on if Newton would be the starter beyond this week, but general manager Scott Fitterer said Newton “came here to play” — and the money the Panthers invested in him for the final eight games of the season is a strong indication they plan on him being more than just a backup.
SEAHAWKS: Quarterback Russell Wilson said he’s ready to return this week after missing the team’s past three games following surgery on the middle finger on his throwing hand.
“I feel great,” Wilson said. “I feel really close. I’m not 100 percent yet, but I’m pretty dang close. I would say in the 90 percentile if not higher.”
Wilson went the first nine seasons of his career without missing a single start. He said Thursday that he had aspirations of starting the most consecutive games ever before multiple injuries to his finger sustained in a game against the Los Angeles Rams last month brought that quest to an immediate end.
BUCS: Injured receiver Chris Godwin didn’t practice for the second day in a row Thursday, increasing the chances of new practice-squad acquisition Breshad Perriman being activated for Sunday’s game in Washington.