Odell Beckham Jr. signed with the Baltimore Ravens because he is a "businessman" - not because he wanted to play with Lamar Jackson.
On Sunday night, it was confirmed Beckham had signed a one-year deal worth up to £14.5million ($18m) with the Ravens. The three-time Pro Bowl receiver hasn’t played in the NFL since tearing his ACL in Super Bowl LVI, which caused him to miss the entire 2022 season, but his market remained large due to his talent.
He caught a touchdown in the Super Bowl win, helping the Los Angeles Rams defeat the Cincinnati Bengals and lift the Lombardi Trophy. At the NFL Annual League Meeting in Phoenix last week, the Ravens met with Beckham Jr and offered him a deal, which he appeared to accept on Sunday when he posted an image of his son in a Lamar Jackson jersey.
Beckham Jr hosted a workout in Arizona recently, with 12 teams attending. He clearly impressed as he earned a mega deal with the Ravens, although some fans and NFL figures believe the 30-year-old joined Baltimore to link up with star quarterback Jackson - but ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith simply insisted he was chasing the money.
“Let's not confuse or conflate the issues: Odell Beckham Jr. was after his bag more than anything else,” Smith said on First Take. “He was not after playing with Lamar Jackson, Aaron Rodgers or Patrick Mahomes. Odell Beckham Jr.’s priority was to make sure he makes his money. I know Odell Beckham Jr. well enough to know he’s a business man
“He likes his money, he looks for his money and he wanted to get his money - and dammit he deserves it because he would have been the MVP of that Super Bowl. I spoke to him before that Super Bowl and that brother told me he was going to put on a show. I believe he would have been Super Bowl MVP, but he got hurt. Injuries have been the thing that has plagued him - nothing else.
“Everything about Odell Beckham Jr.’s game speaks number one wide receiver. The brother is big time. He can make things happen. The Baltimore Ravens didn’t have a 1,000-yard receiver - this brother’s done it five times in his career.”
Beckham Jr will link up with Rashod Bateman and tight end Mark Andrews as the leading receiving options for quarterback Jackson if the 2019 MVP decides to return to Baltimore. The Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on the 26-year-old five days later, allowing teams to negotiate with Jackson while he and the team have until 17 July to agree a multi-year extension.
Other NFL franchises may sign the former MVP to an offer sheet and Baltimore would have five days to match it or receive two first-round picks as compensation. However, Baltimore could be attempting to please their quarterback by adding a star weapon in the form of Beckham Jr, persuading him to take a more team-friendly deal.
Aside from the saga concerning Jackson, the Ravens have enjoyed a fairly quiet offseason, signing wideout Nelson Agholor to a one-year deal worth $3.3m (£2.66m). Beckham will reportedly sign for $15m (£12m) and could earn up to $3m (£2.42m) more in incentives.
