BALTIMORE — Odell Beckham Jr. said he didn’t get any assurances that Lamar Jackson would be the Ravens’ quarterback this season, but the wide receiver acknowledged the “possibility” of teaming up factored into his decision to sign with Baltimore.
“The goal was to come here and have the possibility of playing with him,” Beckham said at his introductory news conference Thursday at the Ravens’ facility. “I was just excited about the possibility of that. My thoughts would be that he would be here.”
General manager Eric DeCosta said that he hasn’t spoken with Jackson since Beckham signed with the Ravens earlier this week, but that he has talked with the star quarterback since Jackson revealed three weeks ago that he requested on March 2 to be traded. DeCosta added that he’s optimistic the 2019 NFL Most Valuable Player will be the Ravens’ quarterback this season.
“Lamar is in our plans,” DeCosta said Thursday. “We’re hopeful to still get a long-term deal. He’s the right player for this team.”
After Beckham agreed to a one-year deal reportedly worth $15 million guaranteed with the Ravens on Sunday night, he was spotted having dinner with Jackson at Prime 112 steakhouse in Miami Beach before the two headed up the street to LIV nightclub.
But Jackson has yet to sign his $32.4 million nonexclusive franchise tag that the Ravens issued him five days after the quarterback’s trade demand. With no other team seemingly willing to make a contract offer to the 26-year-old star, he can play the season on the tag or sit out. The sides have until July 17 to work out a long-term contract.
The addition of Beckham, who had developed a friendship with Jackson before signing with the Ravens, should go a long way — at least for now.
“Where we are as team, this was a guy we felt could take us to the next level,” DeCosta said of Beckham, who did not play all of last season after suffering a torn ACL during Super Bowl 56 with the Los Angeles Rams.
Beckham was equally excited about the prospect.
“Lamar, if you watching,” he said, smiling and waving to the cameras, “love to get to work with you.”
