Odell Beckham Jr. agrees to deal with Ravens, and Lamar Jackson approves
Odell Beckham Jr. is signing with the Baltimore Ravens.
Lamar Jackson is on board with the signing.
The Ravens announced the news Sunday. NFL Network reports that the deal is valued at up to $18 million for one season. Per the report, $13.8 million is guaranteed via signing bonus alongside a $1.2 million salary, while $3 million is available in incentives. Beckham hasn't played since tearing his ACL with the Los Angeles Rams in the Super Bowl after the 2021 season. He missed the entire 2022 season while rehabbing the injury and failing to sign with another team.
Beckham joins a team that's long needed help at wide receiver and features third-year pro Rashod Bateman as its top option. Bateman's tallied 61 catches for 800 yards and three touchdowns in two injury-shortened seasons since Baltimore selected him in the first round in 2021. Devin Duvernay and Nelson Agholor are next up on the Ravens depth chart.
A three-time Pro Bowler, Beckham has the upside of a significant upgrade in Baltimore. After struggling for multiple seasons in Cleveland, he flashed his former Pro Bowl form as a valuable weapon for the Rams during their Super Bowl run. As a 30-year-old coming off an ACL tear who hasn't made a Pro Bowl since 2016, Beckham also arrives with risk. But it's a risk a receiver-needy Ravens team felt was worthwhile. The biggest question in Baltimore remains: who will throw passes for the Ravens next season?
Will Beckham's arrival impact Lamar Jackson impasse?
Beckham arrives as the Ravens remain at a contract impasse with Jackson. The Ravens quarterback posted an Instagram image of a video call with Beckham on Sunday in the hours after the news broke. He captioned the image "#Truzz," referencing a Ravens catch-phrase.
The Ravens applied the non-exclusive franchise tag to Jackson in March, a designation that allows Jackson to negotiate with other teams. Jackson, who's been at a contract stalemate with Ravens since last offseason, has since said that he's requested a trade from Baltimore. The Ravens reportedly don't intend to trade him.
If they don't trade Jackson, the tag commits the Ravens to paying Jackson $32.41 million next season or match any long-term offer from another team. Multiple quarterback-needy teams reportedly aren't pursuing Jackson, a 26-year-old former league MVP with an injury history.
Jackson appears to be excited about Beckham's arrival. The Ravens need help at receiver, and he was publicly upset during the 2022 draft when they Marquise Brown to the Arizona Cardinals. Whether the Beckham signing signals progress or moves the needle on negotiations is yet to be seen.
