Getty Odell Beckham Jr. outlined plans for his future with the Baltimore Ravens.
Odell Beckham Jr. told Dan Pompei of The Athletic “I’m thinking like this is my last year.” Fortunately for the Baltimore Ravens, Beckham also pledged “to give it my all this year. And then if something happens after that, we can go from there.”
Beckham sounds motivated to make the most of his single-season deal, great news for the Ravens, who think the wide receiver “could be a force multiplier in games,” the way he was for the Los Angeles Rams en route to winning the 2022 Super Bowl.
The 30-year-old tore his left ACL in that game and hasn’t played a down since. Yet there are good reasons to believe Beckham can bounce back in style and convince the Ravens to extend his stay at M&T Bank Stadium beyond 2023.
OBJ Key to Reloaded Ravens’ Offense
Beckham will be the key to an offense reloaded around the dual-threat talents of quarterback Lamar Jackson. OBJ can help make Jackson a more efficient passer, the way he did during his days with the Rams and New York Giants, per numbers from PFF Fantasy Football, that show quarterbacks exceeded a 100 rating when targeting Beckham.
Odell Beckham Jr. passer rating when targeted
🟢 On the Rams – 127.8
🟢 On the Giants – 108.7
🔴 On the Browns – 75.1
The presence of new offensive coordinator Todd Monken will also help Jackson and Beckham. Monken served in the same capacity for OBJ with the Ravens’ AFC North rivals the Cleveland Browns in 2019.
That was the last time Beckham topped the 1,000-yard mark as a receiver. Monken’s system took advantage of some of Beckham’s best skills, specifically his ability to thrive after the catch.
Beckham amassed 326 yards after catch, for an average of 4.4 yards per reception, according to Pro Football Reference. Monken also moved the wideout around, letting Beckham play 129 snaps in the slot, per Player Profiler.
Alignment and skill-set combined perfectly when Beckham turned this slant pass and route into an 89-yard touchdown against the New York Jets.
Mama there goes that man again! 🔥
@bakermayfield ➡️ @obj = 89 YARD TD❗️
📺: #CLEvsNYJ on ESPN
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Watch on mobile: t.co/ESIacEHjwJ
There’ll be more chances for Beckham to make an impact like this with Monken designing the playbook. OBJ will also benefit from the talent around him, thanks to the Ravens signing Nelson Agholor in free agency then using the 22nd pick in the 2023 NFL draft to select Zay Flowers out of Boston College.
Flowers has already impressed during offseason workouts, with Garrett Downing telling Ravens.com how “the buzz is growing around” the rookie.
.@ZayFlowers is set to have an ⚡️ rookie year!
Flowers and Agholor can take coverage away from Beckham, while Rashod Bateman should also be a factor. A first-round draft pick in 2021, Bateman has been named a potential breakout player with “a chance to explode” in this system by Jared Dubin of CBS Sports.
Beckham has entered an offense suddenly loaded with dynamic targets. It’s enough to make him forget about any hesitation he had about signing with the Ravens.
OBJ Was Initially ‘Resistant’ to Joining the Ravens
Signing for an old enemy wasn’t particularly appealing to Beckham. He explained to Pompei how he “was resistant. There were other places I wanted to go. I wasn’t necessarily a Ravens fan because the Ravens always whipped my ass.”
Beckham is actually 3-2 against the Ravens for his career, and despite how much punishment he’s taken in those games, the playmaker has produced. OBJ has tallied 22 receptions, 347 yards and four touchdowns against the Ravens, per StatMuse.
More than Beckham’s records and statistics, Pompei pointed out how “the Ravens kept making him feel wanted,” mostly thanks to paying him $15 million for this season. While “a one-year contract wasn’t what he was looking for,” per Pompei, Beckham is approaching the deal with a determination to outplay those lofty terms.
If he does, Monken’s Jackson-led offense will propel the Ravens deep into the heart of the AFC Playoff picture.