“Really?” – Bomani Jones laughs in face of Ravens adding ‘ghost of Odell Beckham Jr.’ to appease Lamar Jackson

Odell Beckham Jr. shocked many around the league when he joined the Baltimore Ravens during the free agency period of the 2023 NFL offseason. He hasn't played a game since the Super Bowl of the 2021 season, taking a year off to recover from a serious knee injury. He consistently expressed interest in joining a legitimate contender, making the unsettled Ravens an interesting choice.

Lamar Jackson is yet to sign his non-exclusive franchise tag in Baltimore and also recently requested a trade from the franchise. With his future in jeopardy, so is the Ravens' outlook for the 2023 NFL season. Without knowing who their starting quarterback is, it's hard to make an accurate assessment of their expectations this year.

Some around the NFL believe that the Ravens signed Odell Beckham Jr. in an effort to help convince Lamar Jackson to sign a long-term contract extension with the team. A common criticism in Baltimore is that the team has failed to surround Jackson with legitimate weapons in his offense to help him thrive. Some believe that adding Beckham helps solve this problem, but not everyone.

Bomani Jones recently laughed at the idea that Beckham is the missing piece in Jackson's offense on his official Twitter account:

"you think adding the ghost of odell beckham is 'see, you got weapons now!' really? lolololol."

While Odell Beckham Jr. was once one of the best wide receivers in the NFL, it's fair for Bomani Jones to suggest that he may be past his prime at this point in his career. He's now 30 years old and hasn't exceeded 1,000 yards since 2019 with the Cleveland Browns, while also failing to eclipse 80 receptions since 2016 with the New York Giants.

The Ravens signed Beckham to a one-year contract worth up to $18 million. This suggests they believe he can still make a major impact on the football field, but they are also hesitant to lock him into any type of long-term deal. He will surely upgrade their receivers, so this is a step in the right direction to better support Lamar Jackson.

Where does Odell Beckham Jr.'s contract rank among highest-paid NFL WRs in 2023?

Odell Beckham Jr.

Odell Beckham Jr.'s new contract with the Ravens is worth up to $18 million and keeps him in Baltimore for just the 2023 NFL season. The deal is structured to be worth $15 million against the salary cap with an additional $3 million in possible incentives along the way.

Beckham currently ranks as the 12th highest-paid wide receiver in the entire league, ranked by total cash value for the 2023 NFL season alone. This ranks him just above DK Metcalf and Mike Evans, two established superstars. Beckham will also make more money this year than Marquise Brown, who the Ravens traded away to the Arizona Cardinals last year.