It looks like Odell Beckham Jr.'s time with the Baltimore Ravens is really over.
Beckham will be a free agent if he doesn't reach an extension by March 14, and according to the latest reports, that is the most likely scenario for the veteran wide receiver since the Ravens are expected to release him.
“Barring an unexpected last-minute extension, you'll see the Ravens release Odell Beckham before midnight ET tonight with a post-June 1 designation. Beckham and the Ravens restructured his deal in January, eliminating the void years and allowing the team to use post-June 1 on him,” Dan Graziano of ESPN said on Beckham's future in Baltimore.
To be fair, though, it's not really a surprise that Beckham is on his way out of the Ravens. After Baltimore made him their most expensive free agent signing in 2023 with a one-year, $15 million deal, he failed to live up to expectations.
Sure the Ravens were the best team in the NFL during the past regular season, but OBJ was largely not impactful. He finished the campaign with just 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns. Perhaps he's still feeling the effects of the ACL injury that cost him the whole 2022 season, but at the end of the day, it's hard to justify bringing him back after such a disappointing season.
Furthermore, head coach Jim Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta were non-committal about bringing back Beckham when asked about it during the scouting combine. Although Harbaugh said he has his “fingers crossed” on a potential reunion, it's clear that OBJ was not their priority.
The Ravens have been reloading really well this offseason, even landing former Tennessee Titans star Derrick Henry in free agency. With that being said, there might not really be a room for Beckham in Baltimore.
Odell Beckham Jr.'s future beyond the Ravens
For what it's worth, it doesn't look like Odell Beckham Jr. plans to retire any time soon. He did mention after their season ended in the AFC championship that he intends to continue playing, be it in Baltimore or somewhere else.
“To me, if there is anything I felt about myself — regardless of anybody's opinion or anything like that — is that I know that I can still play football, and I know that I still have s**t in the tank,” Beckham said following their conference championship loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, via ESPN.
“As far as my future, [I'll] just take a step back, breathe for a second, pick [my] chin up, just know that life goes on, and we'll figure out what's next after that.”
There will surely be teams who will be interested in the 31-year-old wideout, especially after a relatively healthy season for him. One year removed from his ACL surgery as well, there's a chance that Beckham bounces back higher in 2024 when given the chance.
Of course the biggest challenge in signing Beckham is his asking price. His current market value is at $11.9 million, per Spotrac, and it might turn off those interested teams considering the season Beckham just had.
It will be intriguing to see where Beckham ends up with in free agency. Prior to signing with the Ravens last year, the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants and Buffalo Bills were linked with Beckham at the end of the 2022 season. Maybe those teams could revisit a potential partnership with him?
Regardless of what happens, don't expect to see the last of Odell Beckham Jr.
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