The Ravens still have an awful lot of questions lingering over their offseason -- or at least one really, really big one -- but they found a potential answer to one of them by signing free agent Odell Beckham to a one-year deal Sunday.
That deal will pay the two-time former All-Pro $15 million guaranteed, with an additional $3 million in incentives, per reports. It's a solid contract for a guy who didn't play in 2022 while recovering from a second torn ACL in his left knee, and it gives the 30-year-old a chance to rebuild his value before becoming a free agent again next offseason. And the Ravens have needed playmakers in the passing game for a long time. The question is: Can Beckham still be that guy?
I am admittedly skeptical. The last time we saw Beckham, he played 18 games for the Browns and Rams and had more than 50 yards in seven of them; he had more than 70 yards just four times. Now, in fairness, he was coming back from his first ACL tear to begin that season and then switched teams mid-way, difficult circumstances for any receiver to thrive in.
Beckham did look better as things went on, putting up 288 yards on 26 targets with two touchdowns in four playoff games with the Rams before suffering that second torn ACL. How much he'll have left in the tank after coming back from that second injury remains to be seen, though he did have plenty of interest from a number of teams this offseason. And, the fact that the Ravens gave him this much money, even on a one-year deal is a vote of confidence in itself.
However, there's the other question hanging over the Ravens offense, which is the status of Lamar Jackson. Jackson is a restricted free agent (franchise tag), but the Ravens have made it clear publicly that they want him back. They just haven't made an offer Jackson believes is worth signing. The Ravens have the right to match any deal Jackson might sign this offseason from another team, which has seemingly led to a cold market for his services.
Even if you assume Jackson returns to the Ravens, it's fair to wonder whether there's enough room in this offense for Beckham to thrive even if he does look like his former self. In Jackson's four seasons as the Ravens starter, they've had two 1,000-yard receivers total; Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown, both in 2021. Andrews should be good for 1,000-plus yards if he's healthy and Jackson is back in 2023, but Beckham will be competing with Rashod Bateman for targets behind him.
Bateman hasn't emerged as the go-to guy the Ravens hoped he would be, but he's been decent when healthy, and there's no guarantee Beckham would be the top option ahead of Bateman anyway. Given that this is likely to be a low-volume offense and there are questions about the hierarchy, I don't think I'd have much interest in either Beckham or Bateman inside of the top 100 picks in drafts, even if Jackson is back.
Hopefully, Beckham can prove me wrong and turn back the clock. But I'm guessing even if he does, the biggest impact of this signing is likely to be on Jackson, who has pretty desperately needed more playmakers in the passing game. Beckham, at least at his best, was one of the best we've ever seen at the WR position. If he can recapture even some of that form, this Ravens offense could be more dangerous than we've ever seen. But there are still a lot of questions left.