Odell Beckham Jr. arrived in Los Angeles in November and developed into one of the team's most explosive playmakers and a key piece of the offense on the road to its Super Bowl LVI success.
While Sunday night ended early for him because of a non-contact knee injury, a new report suggests his time with the Rams will not.
OBJ's future with the NFL champions headlines a collection of rumors ahead of an NFL free-agency period that figures to be active, with several high-profile quarterbacks possibly making the jump to new teams and some organizations struggling to hold on to promising young players.
Two-time reigning league MVP Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers are in a good place heading into the offseason, and the team is committed to doing what it takes to keep the signal-caller as part of the organization, per ESPN's Adam Schefter and Ian Rapoport of NFL Media.
Schefter reported that Green Bay is "spending as close to the cap this year and spreading it into future years as much as possible, per sources. [The New Orleans] Saints used this approach for Drew Brees, and Green Bay willing to deploy that model to further entice Rogers."
Rapoport suggested that the Packers will look to make Rodgers the highest-paid quarterback in the NFL on a per-year basis, with the extension likely to be in the form of a two-year deal. That setup would then allow the team to tag wide receiver Davante Adams and keep the prolific duo together for at least another year.
The reports are a far cry from Rodgers' position last spring, when it was revealed on draft night that the future Hall of Famer wanted out of Green Bay, and retirement was an option amid the signal-caller's distrust of the front office.
After opting to stick around, Rodgers led the Packers to a third straight 13-win season and, in the process, compiled a stat line that featured 37 touchdowns, four interceptions and a league-leading 111.9 QB rating among starters.
Rodgers' consecutive MVP awards, an explosive offense and one of the best defenses the player and his team have fielded in nearly a decade make it a no-brainer for Packers to want the face of the organization back in the fold for next season.
The four-time MVP has repeatedly said that he will take his time to make a decision with regard to his future.
Maybe it is the sense of unfinished business, the opportunity to continue rewriting the history books with Adams or the allure of finishing his career with the same team he started it with, but it feels like Rodgers stays put in Green Bay for at least another season.
Prediction: Rodgers seeks fifth MVP, second Super Bowl with Packers.
Braxton Berrios was essential to the New York Jets' offensive game plan down the stretch, scoring four touchdowns in the team's final three games.
Folorunso Fatukasi is a big, strong, imposing defensive tackle who flashed signs of brilliance in 2021, despite accounting for no sacks. His six QB hits and 46 total tackles may not jump off the stat sheet, but he did account for 16 run stuffs to go along with them.
Both players have had preliminary talks with the Jets ahead of free agency, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN.
For a young team still trying to find its identity, it makes sense that the organization would want to identify potential stars of the future and build the team around them. In 2021, the Jets drafted Zach Wilson to be the quarterback of tomorrow. And to be that, he needs targets.
Berrios was a reliable target who found the end zone as both a receiver and runner. He is a dual threat whose potential is surely his greatest selling point. The Jets would surely love to secure his services and let him be a major cog in the Wilson machine.
That Folorunso did not affect the quarterback in 2021 will limit his big-money potential, but he is young and his run-stopping ability is something defensive coordinators can work with and rely on to alter games in key situations.
Berrios will receive big-money offers from teams viewing him as that next star slot receiver who will be a safety blanket for their quarterback and thrive on yards after the catch.
Folorunso, without the stats, feels destined to stay put.
Prediction: Berrios leaves in free agency and Folorunso becomes a bigger factor on the defensive line.
OBJ kicked off the scoring for the Rams in Sunday's Super Bowl, and according to Chris Mortensen of ESPN, it will not be the last touchdown the dynamic wideout records with the team.
Mortensen reported that the Super Bowl champions are "very optimistic" that they will hold on to Beckham, with both management and head coach Sean McVay touting how ideal a fit he has been since the team signed him in November.
This is great news for the Rams and their fans, especially after it became just how influential he is on the field. When he suffered the knee injury that forced him to the sidelines for the remainder of the Super Bowl, the Rams offense stalled. It was not until some late-game magic between Matthew Stafford and Cooper Kupp that the franchise was able to come from behind to defeat the Cincinnati Bengals to capture its second title.
Beckham provided a spark, growing into a selfless No. 2 option for Stafford, and he appeared to be on his way to a blockbuster game on football's grandest stage before his injury ended his night. From November through Sunday, Beckham Jr. amassed 74 receptions and seven touchdowns.
He was invaluable to a team that lost its heart and soul when Robert Woods went down with a season-ending knee injury ahead of Week 10.
If there is a hangup in conversations between Beckham and the team, it will be surrounding that injury. How serious is it? What is its long-term impact?
As long as the prognosis is relatively positive, the team will be happy to have OBJ return to a team that features triple crown receiving champion Cooper Kupp, tight end Tyler Higbee and returning dual threat Woods.
Prediction: OBJ returns to L.A. to chase championship No. 2.