Getty Baltimore Ravens could replace Odell Beckham Jr. with Josh Reynolds
The Baltimore Ravens have some big decisions to make during the 2024 NFL offseason.
They have more than 20 players that can test the free agent market this offseason and that means they’re going to have to figure out how best allocate their cap space to keep the roster that finished with NFL’s best record in 2023 together.
One position that could see some big changes as a result of those decisions is wide receiver.
Odell Beckham Jr. made a lot of money in 2023 and could be looking for another big contract in 2024.
If the team decides not to re-sign him, they could turn to a bargain option at the position to replace him.
In an article about the NFL’s most overlooked veteran free agents, Bleacher Report’s Alex Ballentine named the Ravens as a potential landing spot for wide receiver Josh Reynolds.
Reynolds is heading for free agency after spending the past two and a half seasons as a dependable option for the Detroit Lions.
Reynolds’ Time With the Lions
Reynolds was a surprising addition for the Lions when they picked him up. He had been released by the Titans in the middle of the 2021 season and the Lions decided to add him to a struggling roster.
The move has paid off. He ended up making 19 catches for 306 yards in just seven games to close out that season.
He followed that up with 38 catches for 479 yards.
In 2023, he was expected to take a bit of a step back with Jameson Williams entering his second season in the league and Sam LaPorta joining the roster.
Instead, he managed to hold on to the WR2 role over Williams and put up 40 catches for 608 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Those numbers were similar to what the Ravens got out of Beckham Jr. in 2023 and could make Reynolds a bargain for them if they bring him in.
Ravens Need to Make Their Money Count
During the 2024 offseason, the Ravens are going to have to find some cost-effective options to fill out their roster.
The team has a ton of important pieces that are heading for free agency and some of them are going need hefty raises to stick around with the Ravens.
With those needs elsewhere on the roster this offseason, the team won’t be able to afford a luxury like giving Beckham Jr. a $15 million contract and hoping he’s still elite.
Instead, they’re going to need to find better value at wide receiver.
That could make Reynolds a perfect fit.
Reynolds’ most recent contract only paid an average of $3 million per year. That was the biggest contract of his career and he probably won’t get much more on the open market this offseason.
Whoever the Ravens decide on for Beckham Jr.’s spot on the roster will only be the team’s third pass catching option as Zay Flowers wasted no time establishing himself as the team’s WR1 in his rookie season and Mark Andrews is an elite option at tight end.
The team also has Rashod Bateman, who they are still hoping develops after they drafted in round one in 2021.
With all of those options already on the roster, the WR2 position shouldn’t be one the Ravens are looking to spend a lot of money on.