Does Odell Beckham Jr. Hold Key To Ravens Offseason Plans On Offense?
The Baltimore Ravens have seen plenty of top offensive players leave in free agency over the last few years.
Whether it was the trades of Morgan Moses and Hollywood Brown or the departures of John Simpson (potentially Kevin Zeitler) and others, Baltimore will have a seemingly brand new unit behind two-time NFL MVP Lamar Jackson.
That’s why bringing one player back from 2023 is so important.
© Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
The Ravens could bring back Zeitler to man their offensive line. They could even re-sign JK Dobbins as a way to provide depth behind Derrick Henry.
The only way Baltimore doesn’t lose a step as a unit offensively, though, is by bringing back Odell Beckham Jr.
Now, people may not agree with that stance. After all, OBJ, in his first year with the Ravens, caught just 35 passes for over 500 yards and three touchdowns.
But that was also a year after the once All-Pro wideout came off a grueling torn ACL he suffered in Super Bowl LVI. During that game, Beckham was on the way to earning MVP honors. After his injury, he struggled to find a team that would give him a contract he could be comfortable with.
In 2023, Baltimore was that team. It would make sense if they do everything in their power to bring him back in 2024.
The Ravens don’t have a consistent pass catcher they can count on outside of first-round pick Zay Flowers. While the organization is prepared to see what Rashod Bateman could do, bringing in a veteran like Beckham back would add a leader to the position group, and one that is now two years removed from major surgery.
Most ACL specialists have consistently stated a team of the ligament is a two-year injury before the athlete is 100%.
Should OBJ get to 100% in 2024, it won’t be out of the realm of possibility that the Ravens offense could be even better than last season’s dominant group.
It may not seem like the popular choice, but bringing back Beckham as the lone veteran returner from the current free-agent class might be the best thing for Baltimore.
