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He’s starting to feel like himself again, on and off the field, and Odell Beckham Jr. knows why. The veteran wide receiver identified what exactly “changed the entire trajectory” of his first season with the Baltimore Ravens.
Beckham revealed how Ravens’ general manager Eric DeCosta and head coach John Harbaugh helped him at a key moment. It occurred when he was dealing with a leg injury earlier in the campaign, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic: “Beckham believes sitting out Weeks 3 and 4, a decision he said was driven by Ravens coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta, has led to this current productive stretch and allowed him to move on from an early-season lower-leg injury.”
The wideout believes letting him sit “changed the entire trajectory of my season. I had the time to get my legs underneath me, and we’re just trying to go up from here.”
Going into further detail, Beckham admitted, “Early on in the season, I was hurt and I just couldn’t be myself. I didn’t have the explosion, I couldn’t move the way that I wanted to. I don’t think people really knew what I was dealing with, and it just was hard for me to come out and speak on it — nor will I speak on it, really, now. It’s just more about moving forward, being the very best that I can be for this team.”
It’s a telling admission from a player the Ravens paid $15 million to play this season. They have been waiting patiently for OBJ to justify the investment, but the 31-year-old is beginning to look like the dynamic playmaker the Ravens hoped they were getting.
Odell Beckham Jr. Coming Off Breakout Game for Ravens
Beckham broke out to snag four catches for 116 yards during the 34-20 win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11. His best play was to burn Baltimore’s AFC North rivals for 51 yards in the fourth quarter.
The catch showed Beckham can still get vertical, even in his 10th NFL season. He was supposed to be merely a possession receiver at this stage of his career, but OBJ is averaging 9.8 yards before catch per reception, according to Pro Football Reference.
Proof Beckham’s not slowing down came a week prior to facing the Bengals when he showed off the wheels to outrun the Cleveland Browns for a 40-yard catch and run touchdown.
Beckham is finally stretching the field the way the Ravens hoped he would, but his health remains a concern.
Odell Beckham Jr.’s Health an Underlying Concern for Ravens
Some issues with durability were inevitable considering Beckham missed the entire 2022 season recovering from a torn ACL. He suffered the injury while helping the Los Angeles Rams win a Super Bowl, and perhaps it was the same ailment slowing Beckham at the beginning of his Ravens career.
There are other issues, including a shoulder problem suffered against the Bengals. Beckham told Josina Anderson of CBS Sports, “I’ve dealt with something similar before I just got to find a way to dig deep.”
Beckham may be digging deep, but the issue kept him out of practice on Wednesday, November 22, according to ESPN’s Jamison Hensley. It’s a worrying sign, but both player and team are wise to proceed with caution.
A safety-first approach helped Beckham get on track earlier this season after a game against the Bengals. The same strategy working again can give the 8-3 Ravens a major edge headed into the business end of the campaign.
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