When Will Free Agent Odell Beckham Jr. Be Ready To Play After Second Torn ACL?

Veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. remains a free agent six months after suffering a torn left ACL in the Super Bowl, even as Von Miller publicly recruits the 29-year-old to the Bills. 

Beckham Jr. is unlikely to be effective for any team that brings him in until late in the season, according to the Pro Football Docs, and has an SIC score of 31 with all of his value coming in the twilight of the regular season and the playoffs. 

Beckham’s torn ACL and subsequent surgery was his second in just 16 months, which will accelerate his recovery slightly above the normal 9-12 month timeline, the Docs say. 

A re-tear of an ACL is easier to reconstruct and rehab because there's less ligament that needs to be repaired.

There has been a slow drip of recent information highlighting the issues that Beckham Jr. experienced last season after returning from his first torn ACL on October 25, 2020, which may explain the back-to-back injuries.

Ian Rapoport reported in April that the most recent surgery repaired an issue that lingered from the first ACL reconstruction performed by famed NFL surgeon Dr. James Andrews. 

Odell Beckham Jr. tweeted in June that he played a large portion of the 2021 season “without an acl," although no reporters or doctors have confirmed his assertion. 

Playing for both the Browns and Rams, he made 44 receptions for 537 yards and five touchdowns. He was at his best during the Super Bowl run, bringing in 21 of 26 targets for 288 yards and two touchdowns in 3 ½ playoff games. 

Beckham Jr. has a chance to make a similar – although a bit truncated – impact for a contending team this season, but is still a ways away from returning to the field.