DeMarcus Lawrence, Cowboys teammates losing patience with Odell Beckham Jr. ‘circus’
By Jerry Trotta
The Dallas Cowboys have long been viewed as the favorites to sign Odell Beckham Jr.. After months of publicly recruiting Beckham, and treating him to a first-class free agency tour, the seemingly inevitable happily-ever-after ending hit a snag after Beckham’s physical sparked concerns among team officials.
While the Cowboys’ biggest stars would still welcome Beckham with open arms, some are apparently getting tired with the chase.
During an interview with SportsCenter, CeeDee Lamb (seemingly) begrudgingly answered questions about playing with the former Pro Bowler. Though complimentary of Beckham, Lamb clearly showed fatigue given how long the saga has played out — and how meticulously it’s been covered by the media.
With Dallas riding an incredible hot streak, you can understand why players’ patience is wearing thin. This team has Super Bowl aspirations. If Beckham can help achieve that goal, great. If he can’t, then give up the chase and move on.
DeMarcus Lawrence certainly echoes that sentiment. Check out what the star defensive lineman said about the OBJ sweepstakes.
DeMarcus Lawrence was asked if it’s fair to say he wants Cowboys to sign Odell Beckham Jr.
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) December 7, 2022
“It’s fair to say I’m trying to reach a Super Bowl,” he said. “So if he can come and help us with that, then yes, I’ll accept him. But if we’re just gonna do the circus, no I don’t.”
DeMarcus Lawrence was a resolution to the Cowboys’ pursuit of Odell Beckham Jr, and he’s not alone.
No need to read between the lines there, folks.
At 9-3 and boasting an elite offense and defense, Dallas looks like legitimate Super Bowl contenders. The last thing this group needs is a distraction, or a “circus” as Lawrence coined it, diverting them from the ultimate goal. A veteran and vocal locker room presence like Lawrence understands that, and wants to keep the team grounded.
You can add Dak Prescott to the list.
Dak said if OBJ "can come in and play right now, 100% yeah we want him.
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) December 8, 2022
"But I’ve got a lot of confidence in the guys that we have & where we’re going & guys getting their feet back underneath them & what we’ve built upon..I’m confident in what we have and know that we can win."
Perfectly stated by QB1. Since Prescott’s return from finger surgery, Dallas flaunts the league’s most efficient offense. They’ve scored a combined 121 points in their last three games, and have scored at least 40 in three of their last five.
That’s the point Lamb and Michael Gallup stressed to reporters.
Is Odell Beckham Jr. a player the Cowboys need or one they want?
— Jori Epstein (@JoriEpstein) December 8, 2022
“For sure someone we want,” CeeDee Lamb said. “I mean, we just put up 50 points.”
Fellow WR Michael Gallup, coming off 2-TD game, agreed.
Sure feels like Beckham would be a luxury at this point.
Micah Parsons and Trevon Diggs treating Beckham to courtside seats at the Mavericks-Suns game was pretty cool. And yet, the Cowboys declined to offer the two-time All-Pro a contract amid concerns about his ability to help the team this season.
Per ESPN’s Ed Werder, Beckham’s physical indicated he won’t be able to suit up until mid-January. At that point, Lawrence and Co. will be preparing for the first round of the playoffs (last regular season game is Jan. 8 against Washington). The 30-year-old didn’t even work out for the Cowboys during his visit.
Again, it’s easy to understand why Dallas is so adamant about wanting Beckham. It’s rare you can add a player of his caliber to a readymade championship contender this late in the calendar. With that said, it might be time for Jerry Jones and MIke McCarthy to listen to their players because this chase is approaching “circus” territory … if it already hasn’t reached that point.
