Report: Rams' Odell Beckham Jr. Could Receive Injury Protection Pending Arbitration

As he heads for free agency, Odell Beckham Jr.'s knee injury is casting a cloud over what kind of contract he will receive on the open market. He might still collect a paycheck if he's not able to play all of 2022.

The players in Beckham's situation are eligible for injury protection, according to Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio.

"Ordinarily, a player with an expiring contract is not eligible for injury protection. Beckham signed a one-year deal with the Rams after being released, at his request, by the Browns. However, there’s an unresolved question that would be relevant to Beckham. When he suffered the injury, he technically had a contract with future years remaining. Yes, those future years were a device for spreading cap money and will automatically disappear. Still, at the time he tore his ACL, Beckham had a contract beyond 2021."

Beckham would get over $1 million in injury protection if the union won the case. The decision would have consequences for other people.

Brad Spielberger, Esq. @PFF_Brad

This arbitration ruling will have a major impact on how void years are utilized. Players should have additional benefits for helping their clubs with salary cap relief via dummy years.

Duane Brown negotiated this protection into his re-worked deal before 2021 https://t.co/jeunQhG5Jf

The MMQB reported that the Los Angeles Rams were concerned that Beckham had suffered a torn anterior capsule in the Super Bowl.

He rebuilt a lot of the value he had lost during his two-and-a-half years in Cleveland. He caught 27 passes for 301 yards and five touchdown in eight regular-season games with L.A.

According to Yahoo Sports, Charles Robinson could command around $11 million or $12 million annually on his next contract.

The timing of his knee injury throws Beckham's availability for the season into doubt. He will be in a race against the clock to get back to 100 percent in time for Week 1.

Signing a one-year deal with the Rams or another team was the best move Beckham could have made. He could have made more money in the next season.

It is hard to imagine a team willing to put a short-term contract on the table if he cannot play all 17 games.

Beckham could use injury protection as leverage in negotiations. If he doesn't like what's on offer, he can point to the $1.12 million waiting for him and explain he's willing to sit out 2022.