It seems that Odell Beckham Jr. will leave the Baltimore Ravens. The team plans to release the experienced wide receiver before Wednesday, March 13, at midnight ET.
This information comes from ESPN’s Dan Graziano, who explained that Beckham will be released after June 1 due to a deal restructure in January.
The decision also aims to help the Ravens save money and avoid a large hit to this year's salary cap.
As Graziano pointed out, saying that if Beckham is still on the Ravens' roster on March 14, the $50 million 2025 salary will become fully guaranteed. Even though the Ravens will still have to pay a fair amount of dead-cap cash, Graziano also explained that under Beckham’s original deal, the remaining years would have voided, leading to an $11.068 million cap hit for the Ravens.
The Ravens are wise to avoid paying those costs. Beckham had limited impact while playing on a contract worth $15 million in the previous season.
He only made 35 receptions and scored three touchdowns. The Ravens received more production from rookie wideout Zay Flowers and greater consistency from veteran Nelson Agholor.
Odell Beckham Jr.'s Move Didn't Work Out for Ravens
Beckham was supposed to be the main receiver for quarterback Lamar Jackson. However, things didn't go as planned, with Flowers taking the lead while Beckham only made six starts.
The situation was not helped by the fact that OBJ was not as effective late in the season. The former New York Giants, Cleveland Browns and Los Angeles Rams player only caught four passes in his final three games of the regular season, according to Pro Football Reference.
Beckham was equally ineffective in the playoffs, making just four catches from seven targets in two postseason games.
Given his lack of production, it would have been unwise for the Ravens to keep a receiver whose market value is estimated at $11.9 million by Spotrac.com for this year.
There are still those who believe Beckham “still has more left in the tank,” including NFL on DAZN.
However, this belief largely relies on Beckham's earlier career. He is still 31 and has sustained two left ACL injuries.
General manager Eric DeCosta made the right decision about Beckham, but the Ravens still need help at receiver.
Ravens Still Need WR Help
DeCosta had a choice between veteran receivers and he chose to bring Agholor back. The 30-year-old can still stretch the field, but he became a valuable inside receiver in coordinator Todd Monken’s offense.
By placing Agholor in the slot for “59% of his snaps,” Monken was able to use Flowers “outside and get him into more space,” according to Ravens.com Editorial Director Ryan Mink, citing Next Gen Stats.
Nelson Agholor's usage in the slot was big for the Ravens offense and allowed Zay Flowers to primarily play outside and get him into more space. Agholor took 59% of his snaps in the slot, per @NextGenStats.
— Ryan Mink (@ryanmink) February 19, 2024
Agholor and Flowers make a strong duo for Jackson in the passing game. This is also true for tight ends Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely.
There is still room for another fast receiver on the outside, such as Oregon’s Troy Franklin, who would be an exciting addition for the Ravens with the 30th pick in the 2024 NFL draft.
By surrounding newly acquired All-Pro running back Derrick Henry could provide Jackson with his most exciting group of teammates yet and make sure they don't feel the absence of Beckham.
