‘We’ve done that before’: What Bill Belichick said about the Patriots adding a star player in the wake of Odell Beckham Jr.’s release

A big-name NFL player became available on Friday — do the Patriots have an interest?

Odell Beckham Jr. was released by the Browns on Friday and will be placed on the waiver wire. Patriots head coach Bill Belichick was asked “in the general sense” if the Patriots would be interested in a “top-caliber” player. He didn’t say no.

“Yeah. We’ve done that before,” Belichick said. “We brought in [Aqib] Talib in the middle of the season. You’d have to evaluate any situation. I don’t really know any specifics to talk about, so at this point, there’s nothing to really talk about. We’d do anything we could to help our football team. We brought in James Harrison with one game to go in the season.”

If the Patriots do want Beckham, they’ll likely have to place a waiver claim on him before he can hit free agency. With Beckham and the Browns reportedly renegotiating his contract before his release, every team can place a claim for him on waivers if his base salary is around the veteran’s minimum.

With their 4-4 record, the Patriots have 15th priority on the waiver wire — meaning if none of the 14 teams ahead of them place a claim on Beckham, they’ll get him. Some of the notable teams ahead of the Patriots in waiver priority are the Dolphins, Jets, Eagles, Seahawks, Bears, 49ers, Vikings, and Colts.

Beckham will be subject to waivers on Monday.