BALTIMORE — If Odell Beckham Jr. was not the best wide receiver in the world, he did not have to stand behind more than two or three people in line.
The year was 2016, and Beckham, 24 years old, was finishing up his third NFL season. Since he was drafted 12th overall out of LSU, he had never failed to make the Pro Bowl, never failed to reach at least 90 catches, 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns over a 16-game schedule. If anything, his highlights — who could ever forget the one-handed, full-extension touchdown catch against the Dallas Cowboys? — lit up imaginations even more than his statistics.
That version of Beckham was such a phenomenon that his name still carries enormous weight with NFL fans and players. This became evident as soon as the Ravens announced they had signed the 30-year-old wide receiver on Sunday afternoon. A pall lifted for fans who had suffered through months of unsettling news regarding the future of franchise quarterback Lamar Jackson. Beckham’s new teammates, including former on-field sparring partner Marlon Humphrey, took to social media to proclaim their excitement. Even Jackson, whose last public utterance about the Ravens was a trade request, hinted that he and Beckham were brewing plans for a Super Bowl run.
