Jamison HensleyESPN staff writer3 minutes to read
OWINGS MILLS, Md. The Baltimore Ravens made their boldest move of the holiday season — and they’ve sent perhaps their strongest message to disgruntled quarterback Lamar Jackson — by reaching a one-year deal with three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Sunday.
The deal is worth up to $18 million and includes a $15 million guarantee, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
The Ravens have been in touch with Beckham since last year and met him at the league’s annual meeting two weeks ago. Then Baltimore made a deal one day before Beckham was due to visit the New York Jets.
Beckham, 30, posted the news on Instagram Sunday night.
Beckham’s addition comes a month after Jackson requested a trade from the Crows. Since then, Baltimore has placed the non-exclusive franchise tag, but no team has yet publicly pursued it.
Beckham became the NFL’s most decorated wide receiver. The big question is the health of Beckham, who didn’t play all of last season after tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in Super Bowl LVI.
None of the eight wide receivers on the roster (Rashod Bateman, Nelson Agholor, Devin DuVernay, Taylan Wallace, James Broch II, Andy Isabella, Mike Thomas and Shemar Bridges) have had a 1.00-yard season. Beckham had five of them.
Baltimore has ranked last in the NFL in receiving yards by wide receivers in three of the last four seasons (2019, 2020, and 2022).
The Ravens have enjoyed success adding 30-plus receivers, from Derrick Mason to Anquan Boldin to Steve Smith. Baltimore also missed out on old receivers with Jeremy McClain, Michael Crabtree and Sammy Watkins.
Baltimore had to rely on free agency to cement this position despite drafting a first-round wide receiver in 2019 (Marquis “Hollywood” Brown) and 2021 (Batman). The Ravens are the only franchise that has not drafted a Pro Bowl wide receiver.
Beckham had free agent visits with the Buffalo Bills, Dallas Cowboys and New York Giants in December but did not come to an agreement.
Before the injury, he showed with the Los Angeles Rams during their championship season that he could still be an impact player after becoming a forgotten part of the Cleveland Browns’ offense.
Beckham joined the Rams squad in November of the 2021 season after being released by the Browns.
She caught five touchdowns over eight regular season games with the Rams, and two more in four postseason contests. Combined, he had 48 receptions for 593 yards in 12 games in a Rams uniform.
Prior to his release, Beckham had 17 receptions for 232 yards and no touchdowns in six games for the Browns.
The three-time Pro Bowl selection had 1,035 receiving yards in 2019, his first season with Cleveland, but suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2020. He has passed 1,000 yards and caught the mark five times in his career.
The New York Giants selected Beckham 12th overall in the 2014 draft. He was named Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2014 and quickly became a star for the Giants, eclipsing 1,300 yards in each of his first three seasons. He signed a five-year contract extension with the Giants worth up to $98.5 million in August of 2018, but was then traded the following season to the Browns.