Let me start this off by saying no, I am not, nor have I ever been on drugs. I also don’t believe that this will happen, especially when you look back at the Ravens habitual moves. But if Ozzie Newsome, in his final blaze of glory, decides to pursue one of the most polarizing and talented receivers of this generation, you won’t see me complaining.
Odell Beckham Jr. propelled himself into the national spotlight in the best way possible, nabbing a one-handed catch against the Cowboys on a Sunday night in 2014. It wasn’t just A catch it was THE catch. Everyone attributes Beckham to one-handed catches and vice-versa, the fame came overnight.
Since that catch, OBJ has had his fair share of trials and tribulations, such as throwing temper tantrums on the sideline, getting injured 4 games into the 2017 season, and being less than a foot away from what looked like cocaine in a video released only a couple of weeks ago. Now he’s come out and said that he will not play football until he receives a new contract extension, which Giants co-owner John Mara has seemed apprehensive about. Mara stated that no one is “untouchable”, leading folks to believe that Beckham could be on his way out if he doesn’t tone his personality and antics down a notch.
So where does Baltimore fit into this?
As one of the teams in the league with little to no talent at skill positions, it seems only logical that the Ravens pursue this generational talent. But as I alluded to before, moves like these are not in their repertoire. Receivers the Ravens add tend to be 28-33 years of age and are cap casualties. Trading for OBJ would call for a change of routine in Baltimore, all coaches and front office staff would have to step out of their comfort zones for this idea to even be conceived.
Roughly $8.5 Million in cap space would have to be cleared, enough to handle the 5th year option salary for the superstar WR. Lastly, someone would have to be around to keep OBJ in check so he doesn’t get in any serious trouble. We all know how John Harbaugh feels about loudmouths in the locker room.
If Beckham did suit up in purple and made his presence felt at M&T Bank Stadium in the 2018 season, not only would it give the offense the life it has never truly had and the edge that it so desperately needs, but it would attract the estranged fans from last season back to their seats.
The Ravens need Beckham, his 313 career catches, 4424 career yards, and 38 career touchdowns.
Imagine the possibilities.
