Getty Odell Beckham practices his routes before Super Bowl 56 on February 13, 2022 in Inglewood.
The NFL world now knows who’s giving Odell Beckham a chance to return to the field. The former Los Angeles Rams wide receiver, who tore his ACL during his pursuit of his first Super Bowl ring on February 13, 2022, announced on social media on Easter Sunday, April 9, that he was joining the Baltimore Ravens.
And the deal OBJ is getting in his return to the league? A one-year deal that can pay him up to $18 million according to the NFL Network insider trio of Ian Rapoport, Mike Garafolo and Tom Pelissero.
Sources: The #Ravens are giving WR Odell Beckham Jr. a 1-year deal worth up to $18M, per me, @MikeGarafolo and @TomPelissero. A weapon for Baltimore’s QB.
However, before OBJ ended his lengthy free agency process on the April holiday, one insider revealed the Rams’ true ceiling in trying to get back OBJ. The highest they had available according to Mike Jones of The Athletic on April 4? They only had roughly $13 million in salary cap space to work with in trying to pursue a potential reconnection with the Super Bowl 56 winner.
“Familiarity helps here. Beckham found redemption in Los Angeles after he and the [Cleveland] Browns soured on each other in 2021 and agreed to part ways midseason. Beckham played a key role in the Rams’ Super Bowl before sustaining his injury and remains a fan of coach Sean McVay’s and quarterback Matthew Stafford’s. So, a reunion makes sense, especially if Beckham can serve as an impactful complement to Cooper Kupp,” Jones wrote. “However, the Rams find themselves in rebuilding mode, and they also only have roughly $13 million in salary-cap space. Completing a deal would require some creativity if $15 million is indeed Beckham’s asking price.”
Baltimore managed to up the price to more than the Rams’ figure. Per Over the Cap, the Ravens’ cap figure now stands at $6,130,768. The Rams, per OTC, currently sits at $10,629,513.
Beckham Addressed Money Hope, Also Had Visit Lined up With AFC Contender
Jones added additional nuggets about the dilemmas OBJ faced — from health to clearing up his asking price, which he voiced about on his Twitter page back on March 18.
“For now, more questions than answers seem to loom over Beckham, who last played a full season in 2019 and has just two healthy seasons in his eight-year career. Beckham complained on social media that he didn’t want to play for a paltry (by veteran standards) salary of $4 million. However, his best bet at signing with a team and proving he is indeed still an impactful receiver could involve accepting a contract that’s well below the $15 million he is reportedly seeking,” Jones wrote.
He also had a strong response to a report stating that he was asking for $15 million a year on April 2.
@NFL_DovKleiman @RichCimini April fools was yesterday no?
I be so confused where all these reports and numbers are comin from 😂😂 “per source”
And, there was the report from CBS Sports HQ NFL insider Josina Anderson about OBJ set to visit the New York Jets on Monday, April 10. But OBJ has instead “followed his heart.”
Yesterday OBJ told me that he “was feeling more love from the Ravens” even though he was set to visit the Jets Monday. Odell always follows his heart. Today is no different.
Vertical Threat Called Rams Fit
Now, the Rams officially know that OBJ won’t be in their locker room for the 2023 season. Their best way to add and attempt to make up for it? In 18-19 days at the NFL Draft.
Wide receiver isn’t considered the highest need for the Rams. But, Pro Football Network’s seven round mock draft unveiled on Saturday, April 8 has the Rams taking Rakim Jarrett of Maryland at No. 167.
“Jarrett’s top selling point is his ability as a vertical threat. When he has room to open his strides, he explodes into space and has the speed to stress defenders in the deep third and stretch the field horizontally. He’s also shown he can manipulate space and bend at stems to maximize that vertical ability, and convert with steady ball tracking,” Ian Cummings of PFN wrote in his scouting report.