The Baltimore Ravens appeared to have all of the components in place to make a Super Bowl run in 2023, including Odell Beckham Jr.
Unfortunately, the Ravens were defeated by the Kansas City Chiefs and the juggernaut Patrick Mahomes in the AFC Championship game, and their season was cut short.
The veteran wide receiver, who has 35 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns, appeared in 14 regular-season games this season after missing the whole 2022 season. The 31-year-old claimed his greatest accomplishment was proving he still has it.
The former Giants and Browns wide receiver, who signed with the Rams late in 2021 and helped them win a Super Bowl, signed a one-year, $15 million contract with the Baltimore Ravens prior to 2023.
He missed the 2022 season while recovering from a second ACL injury sustained during the Rams’ Super Bowl victory over the Bengals in Los Angeles two seasons ago.
The arrangement includes up to $3 million in incentives. Beckham received $1 million of the incentives. He received $250,000 for catching at least 30 passes. He received another $500,000 for gaining at least 500 yards. He received an additional $250,000 for scoring three touchdowns.
Odell Beckham Jr. started the season off slow, missing games in Weeks 3 and 4 after returning from the knee injury suffered in Super Bowl LVI. He seemed to hit his stride in the middle of the campaign, including generating 90-plus yards twice in three weeks (11, 13). However, instead of continuing to rise, that run ended up a blip on the radar.
OBJ played sparingly in the Ravens’ Divisional Round blowout of Houston, earning just 20 snaps despite getting the start and being targeted once (one catch, 12 yards). Sunday, he played more with Baltimore in catchup mode against K.C., generating three catches on six targets for 22 yards.
With the emergence of rookie WR Zay Flowers and Beckham not contributing to Baltimore’s offense in a significant way, the veteran wideout now enters free agency with plenty of questions surrounding his future.
Odell Beckham Jr. Wants To Keep Playing In The NFL, Whether It’s For The Baltimore Ravens Or Another Team
Beckham did not sound like a player who is considering retirement after the team’s loss to the Chiefs. While there may be reservations about the wide receiver’s potential market — he was once considered the best player at his position in the NFL — Beckham feels he can still make a significant contribution.
“To me, if there is anything I felt about myself — regardless of anybody’s opinion or anything like that — is that I know I can still play football, and I know I still have [stuff] in the tank,” Beckham said on Sunday, according to the team’s official website.
“It’s really terrible how things turned out today because, to me, it was about so much more than just one person in this room; it was about having that moment with these individuals you’ve worked so hard with. So, in terms of my future, I’ll simply take a step back, breathe for a second, pick up my chin, and remember that life goes on, and we’ll figure out what comes next.”
It might make sense for the Baltimore Ravens to sign Odell Beckham Jr. to a team-friendly contract, given how much he enjoys playing for the organization, despite his limited position.
He was questioned about his time in Baltimore and if he would like to return in 2024.
“I don’t know the political answer to that question, but I’ve enjoyed every single moment,” stated Donald Trump.
He said, “I simply love this town. This felt like home. It felt fantastic to me. The city of Baltimore Most of all, I wanted it for Baltimore. I wanted them to be able to experience that moment [when] we’re all standing on the field and The Bank is shaking, but we fell short.”
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