Injuries have put a damper on what was supposed to be a bright season for the Miami Dolphins. However, the team is finally getting some good news from an injury standpoint as veteran wideout Odell Beckham Jr. practiced fully Thursday for the second straight day.
Beckham, who is coming off the reserve/physically unable to perform list, has been dealing with a knee injury, which the team disclosed in its Week 5 injury report.
"I felt pretty good," the three-time Pro Bowler said Thursday, via Pro Football Network. "The old guy can still run. I felt good. I think I feel obviously a bit out of football shape, but just like everything else, it comes with repetition. So just being able to get out there and run around, I don't think people understand how much of a joy that is to be able to not even stretch and I can go out there and just take off running. You know, it's been a long journey with me and my career. So getting able to get out there has been great."
Beckham suffered torn ACL injuries in the 2020 season with the Cleveland Browns, and in Super Bowl LVI with the Los Angeles Rams to conclude the 2021 season. The residual effects of those injuries plus "a shattered ankle" in 2017 and an arthroscopic knee procedure this offseason have added up, causing the delay in his 2024 Dolphins debut.
There was a delay in Beckham getting his knee procedure done this offseason because of what he had going on off the field. Beckham said the team and head coach Mike McDaniel were aware of this delay when they signed him. He knew he wouldn't be ready for the opener, via the Miami Herald, but that he is feeling good and working his way back into football shape.
"[After last] season, there was a lot going on in my life, personal life, businesses, all of that, that just kind of had me in a place where football wasn't exactly a priority," Beckham said. "[I have a] son who's 2 years old, you know, don't got much time to spend with him. I feel like he's growing up fast and I'm not having that much time. So football wasn't exactly the first and foremost thing on my mind. Then I had to have a small cleanup of the knee and just kind of going through that free agency process. You know, my agent and I went back and forth, whether we do it right after the season or we wait until free agency happens and I just feel like I waited too late."
The Dolphins have 21 days to decide whether to activate or place Beckham on season-ending injured reserve, but his progress indicates he could be back much sooner. He made it clear he didn't show up in Miami just to sit around and cash checks: Beckham insists he is a Dolphin because he wants to continue his football career. He signed a one-year, fully guaranteed $3 million contract this offseason, per OverTheCap.com. That pales in comparison to his $97.9 million career earnings in the league up to this point.
"Respectfully, it sounds messed up, so it's gonna be a bad quote, but I'm not getting paid like a crazy amount of dollars," Beckham said. "I could be making money if I had more time, elsewhere outside of this building. A lot of my contract is incentives-based. So that means I have to be certain numbers to be able to get that money. So for me, respectfully, I don't really care for [their] opinion. I care for my son, I care for my close family. ... "I said the quote, 'Purell hand sanitizer cleans 99.9% the germs. There's always still gonna be that little something [left],' you know what I mean? So it's just like there's just no point in worrying about someone's opinion and all like you."
Miami is 1-3 after dropping each of its last three games. The Dolphins need a win Sunday in order to keep pace with Buffalo (3-1) and the New York Jets (2-2) in the AFC East standings. Miami will be happy to have Beckham when he is ready.
"I think with the way obviously his career has gone and what he brings, he'll be another piece that we could really use," Dolphins offensive coordinator Fred Smith said about Beckham Thursday, via team transcript. Obviously, he's working through his process to return to play so I'm sure when he is ready to go, we'll be able to use him in a way that will obviously use his skill sets which is catch radius, ball skills, separation -- everything he's had in his past and he's a fun guy to be around. So whenever he's ready to go, we'll be excited to have him, and I think that he'll be a piece that we'll be able to utilize in the passing game."
The 31-year-old receiver agrees.
"I am just excited to get back out there," Beckham said. Whenever that is, you know, it's coming up with a game plan. Ease me back into it a little bit and then, let's just play ball like it's time. It's a long season. No need to get down. You play as long as I've played, you know, these seasons can go however which way you want."