49ers rumors: Would Odell Beckham prefer Niners over Rams?

The 49ers wouldn’t mind some proven wide receiver depth, and Odell Beckham Jr. is still out there. But would OBJ prefer going back to the Rams instead?

The San Francisco 49ers have already beaten the Super Bowl-champion Los Angeles Rams three times this season.

The first win was back in Week 4 when the Niners pulled off a 24-9 victory at Levi’s Stadium. And the other victory, of course, was San Francisco’s recent 31-14 win at SoFI Stadium.

It’s the third win that should stand out, though, the 49ers outbidding their NFC West rivals for the services of All-Pro running back Christian McCaffrey, whose three-touchdown performance in Week 8 over LA helped ensure the Niners retained their regular-season dominance over head coach Sean McVay’s squad.

However, is there a fourth “win” over Los Angeles that San Francisco can seek out?

You know, luring in wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. via NFL free agency.

49ers could use Odell Beckham in NFL free agency

Beckham, who drew interest from the 49ers a season ago and at other times before that, remains a free agent after helping the Rams win a Super Bowl last season. Recovering from the torn ACL he suffered last February, Beckham has been selective about which team he wants to play for down the stretch.

On the surface, the Niners don’t seem to need Beckham. At least not with a solid one-two wide receiver tandem of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, and the need is made less now with McCaffrey in the fray.

However, as ESPN’s Adam Schefter told The Pat McAfee Show, San Francisco’s recent string of injuries, plus the desire to get over the hump and actually win a Lombardi Trophy, could be the precise reason why Beckham is a target for general manager John Lynch and Co.:

It’s rare for Super Bowl-contending teams to simply say something along the lines of, “we’ve got enough talent, we don’t need more” when it comes to being the last squad standing.

For a 49ers team going all-in, adding Beckham would be smart.

Read More: 3 free agents who could help Niners right now

The only question, at least if the Niners were interested, is if Beckham would also be interested in spending the remainder of the year in Northern California instead of the southern part of the state.

Odell Beckham to choose 49ers over Rams?

Granted, it’s not an either-or decision between San Francisco and Los Angeles. Plenty of other playoff-contending teams could be flirting with the three-time Pro Bowler, and it’s just as possible he opts to sign somewhere wholly unpredicted just a few months ago.

Perhaps a reunion with the suddenly surging New York Giants, his original squad.

Regardless, as Schefter pointed out, it sure seems as if the 49ers and Rams would be preferred favorites for the veteran receiver.

LA might have a slight edge, though, and for two separate reasons. For starters, Beckham already has the rapport from playing at SoFI last season, and that’ll undoubtedly carry over despite McVay’s squad reportedly low-balling Beckham already. And Beckham’s role would be more significant, too, given McVay has struggled to identify a secondary offensive weapon opposite the All-Pro, wide receiver Cooper Kupp.

Should Beckham join the Niners, he’d be a third-fiddle player behind Samuel and Aiyuk, and that doesn’t even include McCaffrey’s own pass-catching prowess.

However, at least based on how San Francisco handled Los Angeles in Week 8 to the tune of a 31-14 victory, Beckham could easily have a better shot at winning another Super Bowl with the 49ers instead of the Rams.

Maybe that’ll be the difference, should he keep his allegiances solely within the NFC West and within California.