Odell Beckham Jr. likely had a long list of potential destinations this offseason, so how did he end up choosing the Ravens? It had to do with a former NFL MVP.
Odell Beckham Jr. joined the Baltimore Ravens on a one-year deal worth up to $18 million, and his ultimate landing spot definitely caught some people off guard.
He was rumored to hop on a number of playoff-contending teams from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Dallas Cowboys, yet he chose the Ravens, a franchise going through an offensive rebuild after parting ways with former offensive coordinator Greg Roman.
Compared to their AFC rivals, Baltimore has not leaned heavily on its passing attack in recent years, and last season’s receiving corps just goes to show how little the team has invested in its outside weapons.
Outside of tight end Mark Andrews and with Rashod Bateman injured, the Ravens were forced to field a lineup of Devin Duvernay, Demarcus Robinson, and James Proche — not exactly the most desirable group to work with in gotta-win-it games.
Beckham will enter the unit as the most experienced and talented wideout and will no doubt make his mark as a bona fide No. 1 wide receiver. Surely, that’s not the only reason he came to Baltimore, though?
As it turns out, quarterback Lamar Jackson had a heavy hand in the OBJ recruiting efforts.
Lamar Jackson helped Ravens sign Odell Beckham Jr. this offseason
Which can only mean one thing: Lamar Jackson will be a Raven in 2023.
Why else would he help the franchise sign one of the most coveted wide receivers on the market, a player who would probably have an easier path to the Super Bowl on an established offensive juggernaut like the Chiefs or Bills?
Beckham, a short-term stopgap for the Ravens, did recover from two ACL injuries and remains a high-risk liability. Keep in mind that he only agreed to a one-year deal with the Ravens.
That raises another interesting point which is: whether OBJ took a one-year contract because he doesn’t think Jackson will be in Baltimore past this upcoming season.
Jackson and Beckham were recently spotted at a club in Miami, and one can only assume they’ve had deep conversations about Jackson’s tense contract situation and cloudy future with the Ravens.
But we can revisit all of that next offseason. For now, it seems as though Jackson and his shiny new wideout will be linking up for at least a year and could wreak some serious havoc on the league in 2023.
