Lamar Jackson praised Odell Beckham Jr’s ‘great hands’ and ‘smooth’ style of play as the duo prepare to suit up for the Baltimore Ravens in the 2023 NFL season.
Beckham Junior is currently enjoying his first practices with the AFC North franchise since joining the Ravens on a one-year deal worth $15million back in April. The 30-year-old has fully recovered from the torn ACL he suffered in Super Bowl LVI and he could be an interesting weapon for Baltimore and Jackson.
Jackson, who recently became the highest-paid player in NFL history after signing a five-year contract worth $260m, has enjoyed getting to work with Beckham. The 2019 MVP admires the receiver immensely and is relishing the chance to leading the Ravens this coming season.
Asked for his initial thoughts on throwing to Beckham, Jackson noted how ‘smooth’ the receiver practices, adding he ran ‘crisp routes’ and had ‘great hands’. The three-time Pro Bowler was widely regarded as one of the best receivers in the NFL a few seasons ago before injuries took their toll.
“Odell is a legend to a lot of us [with] what he did early in his career and the [2021 season] when he was with the Rams,” Jackson told reporters on Wednesday. “Odell is him, one of those guys.”
Beckham has been in the NFL for a while after the New York Giants selected him with the 12th pick in the 2014 draft. Beckham went on to be named Offensive Rookie of the Year before passing 1,300 yards receiving in each of his first three seasons.
He struggled to mesh with the Cleveland Browns following a high-profile trade to the AFC North outfit, but Beckham got back to his best when he signed with the Los Angeles Rams as a free agent. He scored a touchdown in the Super Bow l win over the Cincinnati Bengals before suffering his brutal knee injury.
Beckham revealed he has received a lot of attention from Jackson and his other new teammates. He said: “Guys come up to you, and it's like, 'Oh, I remember watching you in middle school’.
“And it's like ... they start to make you feel old, and I think I know what my role will be, as far as coming out and being able to show it every day and being able to lead.”
Beckham’s addition will undoubtedly help the Ravens passing offense, which has faltered in recent years. Baltimore’s receivers have ranked last in the NFL for receiving yards in three of the last four seasons, but Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is confident things will change.
“I hope he brings certain level of trust,” Monken said of Beckham on Wednesday. “I think that's developed over time. That's why it's great that [Beckham] is here because you get to work together.”
