Are you disappointed that the San Francisco 49ers weren't able to contend for the services of free-agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.? During a conversation on KNBR, it sounded like the team's general manager was disappointed too. Not just in missing out on the three-time Pro Bowl wideout, but because of what it says about the current state of his team.
In the end, the leading contenders for Beckham were reportedly the Los Angeles Rams and the Green Bay Packers — two teams that will likely be playing well into January. The Rams prevailed, agreeing to terms with Beckham today.
Meanwhile, the 49ers are 3-5 and don't look to be playing after Week 17. They are not as attractive a destination as they might have been in previous years. John Lynch was asked how close his team was to acquiring Beckham.
"I don't think close," Lynch responded on the Tolbert, Krueger & Brooks show. "And just to be perfectly blunt with you, I think some of that, you've got to earn the right. I think back in 2019, we earned the right to go get a guy, in different circumstances because we traded for him, in Emmanuel Sanders.
"Odell was a free agent. I think everybody knows he's been fond of our place. Shoot, I'll never forget, four years ago or something, he came up to me in pre-game [while playing for] New York and said, 'Get me here. Get me here.' And I probably shouldn't be saying that, but I didn't tamper. It was him.
"This time, look, it was really important for him — we talked to his representative — to play for some one where he thinks he can get to the playoffs. And while he once had that belief [in us], right now, our record doesn't indicate that. Again, you've got to earn that right."
Now, Lynch's 49ers are slated to face Beckham and the Rams on Monday night.
He added, "The Rams added another really talented player to their mix, and they're certainly going for it all right now. But we do have a lot of belief in our team, and we've got to stand toe-to-toe with these guys on Monday night and find a way to get a win."
You can listen to the entire conversation with Lynch below.
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