Odell Beckham Jr.: No Guarantee Lamar Jackson Will be Ravens' QB
Analysis 4/13/23
Thursday was about Odell Beckham Jr. being introduced by the Baltimore Ravens, but the team's contract standoff with Lamar Jackson was on the veteran wide receiver's mind.
"I hope it all (contract) works out for you," Beckham said of Jackson at a news conference. "I'd love to get to play with you. I'm going to talk to these guys (coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta). The goal is to come here and have that possibility with [Jackson]."
Beckham signed a one-year, $15 million contract with incentives that could make it worth $18 million. However, the receiver said Jackson provided no guarantee the two would play together in Baltimore this season. This past weekend, Beckham Jr. posted a picture on his Instagram showing a FaceTime call he had with Jackson, celebrating Beckham Jr.'s contract.
"He obviously would want Lamar to be there, but I don't know how great a fit this is anyway," said The 33rd Team's Eric Mangini. "Odell's a guy who's going to want the ball often. This has been an offense that runs through Lamar and runs with Lamar carrying the ball.
"That can be a challenging situation for a receiver who demands the ball everywhere he is. He may not get the ball as much as he wants, and he's on a one-year deal. This could be challenging for a lot of reasons."
Regardless of Jackson's future, Beckham Jr. feels he made the right choice signing with the Ravens.
"It means a lot to me to go where I'm wanted," Beckham Jr. said about choosing the Ravens. "A lot of teams say, 'We'd love to have you.' "
On Thursday, DeCosta, who refused to answer questions about Jackson during a press conference last week, said talks with the quarterback are ongoing, and the team wants Jackson under center in 2023.
"Lamar is in our plans," DeCosta said. "We're hopeful to still get a long-term deal. He's the right player for this team."
Jackson announced he had requested a trade from the team on March 2, but the Ravens then placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on him on March 7, allowing him to negotiate with other teams.
If Jackson doesn't sign an offer sheet with another team, he will have a tough decision to make. Jackson can play under the $32.416 million tag or protest the tag by sitting out games. No team has stepped up to trade for Jackson or sign him to an offer sheet.
Jackson has been seeking a long-term, fully guaranteed contract. Last month, the quarterback tweeted he turned down $133 million for three years. Reports indicate Jackson wants a contract similar to the five-year, $230 million guaranteed deal Deshaun Watson signed last offseason.