Is OBJ to the Ravens a good move?

Odell Beckham Jr officially joined the Ravens for the 2023 season, in a deal that will see the former Giant in Baltimore for a year, where he will earn up to $18 million.

It is an interesting move for a franchise that has made a lot of headlines this offseason, as they have been unable to reach a new deal with their star quarterback Lamar Jackson.

The signing of Beckham can be seen as a positive piece of business in helping to secure Jackson’s future, yet there is a real possibility that it won’t make the impact Baltimore will be hoping for.

Is OBJ significant for Jackson’s future?

In recent years, the Ravens have enjoyed a fair amount of success having drafted Lamar in 2018. But it has always been the consensus that they haven’t had enough help in terms of playmakers, especially at wide receivers.

There has been a trend in the league recently, that has seen a drastic improvement in a quarterback’s production once they are given an elite receiver to throw the ball too. The Philadelphia Eagles and the Miami Dolphins are examples of teams who both saw a massive jump in performance with the additions they added during the offseason.

An important point to note is that the Ravens have a history of building their offensive schemes around Jackson’s running ability. Usually this means that wide receivers haven’t had an outstanding level of production, as this was mainly due to a lack of opportunities to make plays.

New offensive scheme coming

But with Baltimore recently hiring Georgia Bulldogs’ offensive coordinator Todd Monken to scheme up their attack, it could bode well for Beckham. Monken has a history of building pass-heavy schemes with teams like the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns, while he was the wide receiver coach for the Jacksonville Jaguars back in the late 2000s. Monken knows how to get playmakers open, and this help Jackson’s develop as a passer to complement his brilliant rushing ability.

Beckham is a bit of an unknown right now because he is coming off an ACL injury, which forced him to sit out the entirety of the 2022 season. It is always difficult to predict how an athlete will return coming back as a WR1 having not played for a year, let alone recovering from a torn ACL.

During Beckham Jr’s time on the side-lines, he was linked with many teams like the Dallas Cowboys and Green Bay Packers as he seemed very much in demand. Even though he won the Lombardi trophy with the Rams, arguably his most successful time was with the New York Giants, concerns over his fitness put off the potential suitors.

Can Beckham be a true WR1 again?

But OBJ is back. Once one of the most feared wide receivers in the league for a number of years, he’ll be heading into the 2023 season with point to prove. While Beckham’s last NFL appearance was starring in the Super Bowl, his career had taken a decline with the Cleveland Browns, where his PFF ratings dropped from the high 80s with Giants, to just 68.7 in 2019.

It is important to remember that OBJ hasn’t been a true number wide receiver one for a number of years, which looks to be changing with the Ravens. For the LA Rams, as the double teams often were drawn towards Cooper Kupp, Beckham Jr had more opportunities to make plays for the team. This begs the question whether he can still produce as a top receiver. 

Baltimore made a good step forward this offseason by filling a major need for their offense. Yet, you could argue that they need to make additional moves on top of the Beckham Jr signing, in order to improve the receiving core even further.

It’s a step in the right direction, and while they may have overpaid, it’s a positive signing for the Ravens.