During the Denver Broncos' 24-14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers in Week 4, the team suffered several key injuries. In addition to starting cornerbacks Pat Surtain II (ankle) and Riley Moss (ribs) leaving the game and not returning, wide receiver Pat Bryant was carted off the field after an ankle injury that, at first glance, looked potentially season-ending.
Bryant avoided a long-term absence, but he'll likely miss a few games with what was determined to be a sprained ankle.
The offense could hit a snag with Bryant out of the lineup, as he has caught nine passes for 133 yards and a touchdown this season while ripping off a couple of big runs after the catch. The team will need a guy like Troy Franklin to step up in his absence, but the Broncos
are doing their due diligence by looking at outside options, bringing in four wide receivers for workouts on Tuesday, including the son of Jerry Rice.
Cam Ross, who spent the preseason with the Broncos, won the tryout and was signed to the practice squad. However, one name that remained available was Odell Beckham Jr., but Denver seemingly did not pursue him.
Broncos were smart to shy away from OBJ
OBJ was given a shot to return to the New York Giants this offseason and he made their 53-man roster to create some big headlines. But in the first three games, he hardly saw the field and the Giants chose to release him last week, ending that experiment.
Following that release, Beckham had some harsh words for his former team and feels he can still contribute in the NFL. However, it's much more likely that the ship has sailed. Once one of the best wide receivers in the league, Beckham won't have much to offer a team if he can't see the field in New York, where their roster isn't exactly loaded at the position.
He might bring a huge name value, but he was released three games into the season for a reason. If you watched him in preseason games this summer, it appears clear that he just doesn't have it anymore. So while it would be fun for the Broncos — or any other team, for that matter — to give OBJ one last chance, it doesn't seem to make much sense at this point.
Instead, look for the Broncos to turn to Franklin, Marvin Mims Jr. or one of the many wide receivers they have on the practice squad long before they ever consider a signing like that of Beckham. The in-house options sound much more like Sean Payton's way of thinking.
Beckham has landed with the Minnesota Vikings, and Denver will move forward with younger players.
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This article originally appeared on Broncos Wire: Broncos were right to pass on Odell Beckham after Pat Bryant’s injury
