The Ravens made their biggest move of the offseason on Easter Sunday, agreeing to terms with star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
Here are five things to know about the three-time Pro Bowler:
When healthy, Beckham has put up historic numbers.
Beckham ranked No. 1 in NFL history in yards per game (92.9) through the first 62 games of his career, according to stats provided by Pro Football Reference via Mike Sando of the Athletic.
Julio Jones averaged92.8 yards over his first 62 games, followed by Michael Thomas (88.3), Randy Moss (86.7) and Jerry Rice (88.3).Beckham was also the fastest player in NFL history to reach 2,000 receiving yards, doing so in just 21 games.
Beckham immediately took the NFL by storm as a rookie, and during his five seasons with the Giants (2014-19), he was clearly on pace for a Hall of Fame career.
Beckham is 30 years old and has suffered three serious injuries – a fractured ankle in 2018 and two torn ACL's (2020 and 2021). However, if Beckham is anywhere near 100% by Week 1, he won't have to convince anyone he can be a No. 1 receiver. He's been there, done that.
Working the red zone will be a key for Beckham.
Beckham's career was revived after he was traded from Cleveland to the Rams during the 2021 season. In Los Angeles, Head Coach Sean McVay unlocked the key to using Beckham's talents in the red zone.
In eight regular-season games with the Rams, Beckham caught five touchdown passes, then had two touchdown catches in four playoff games while helping Los Angeles win a Super Bowl.
In Los Angeles, Beckham proved he could still make big plays and dominate in the red zone. That's what new Ravens Offensive Coordinator Todd Monken will be looking for, and he's very familiar with Beckham's skillset having coached him in 2019 with the Browns.
The Ravens have one of the best tight ends in football in Mark Andrews, who has caught 31 touchdown passes over the past four seasons. Now they're adding Beckham to the mix, and his presence could help the Ravens in an area where they sorely need improvement – red zone efficiency. In 2022, the Ravens ranked 30th in that category, scoring touchdowns on just 44.4% of their trips.
With Beckham, they're adding a target whose comfort zone is the red zone.
Beckham has been immensely popular with teammates.
Beckham has undeniable star power, not just with fans and the media, but with teammates. The Giants, Browns, and Rams all had worse seasons after Beckham departed, and they all had players who said they would welcome having Beckham back.
It remains to be seen if some of Beckham's famous friends like LeBron James and Drake will show up at M&T Bank Stadium. But when Beckham played for the Rams, McVay vouched for the star receiver's focus and desire to win.
"This guy's been nothing but a joy to be around from the very first time," McVay said via the Los Angeles Times. "He's got great charisma, a great presence. He's an incredibly talented football player. And then, I can attest to this now, he's a great teammate. ... He's been incredibly selfless."
Beckham's former high school in New Orleans has been a football factory.
Beckham went to Isidore Newman School in New Orleans, where he lettered in football, basketball, and track. A player as good as Beckham is almost always the best player his high school has ever produced. However, two quarterbacks that have won two Super Bowls also went to Newman – Peyton Manning and Eli Manning.
Peyton visited Isidore and threw passes to Beckham when he was still in high school, and Manning immediately saw Beckham’s potential.
"That kid's a little different," Manning said at the time.
Pregame warmups will become a thing.
Part of the Beckham show is watching him get ready for games. His pre-game routine, including the one-handed catches, has drawn fans wherever he has played.
That won't change in Baltimore, where people will want to see him make insane grabs even before the game begins.
