Former Pro Bowl WR confirms Ravens departure

Indications from earlier this month pointed to Odell Beckham Jr. departing the Ravens in free agency after his one-year stint with the team. The former Pro Bowl wideout confirmed that will be the case via an Instagram post.

“Swea on everything, I appreciate the Flock more than all could EVER imagine,” his message reads in part. “Did everything I could with the opportunities I had. Wish I got to do it big for yall.”

The Ravens restructured Beckham’s contract — a one-year deal including $15M guaranteed — before ultimately releasing him with a post-June 1 designation, as detailed by ESPN’s Dan Graziano. That move added further to the expectation his tenure in Baltimore would be a one-and-done endeavor. Now, the 31-year-old will turn his attention to free agency once again.

Beckham missed the entire 2022 season while rehabbing an ACL tear, and his time on the open market was a prolonged storyline around the NFL last spring. He ultimately joined the Ravens on a more lucrative pact than many expected he would receive, given the relative lack of suitors Baltimore was bidding against. The Jets showed interest last year, though, and they could once again be a team to watch with respect to Beckham’s next move.

The Super Bowl winner flashed the potential to remain a high-end producer during his brief time with the Rams prior to suffering the ACL tear. Beckham remained mostly healthy in 2023, suiting up for 14 games and posting a 35-565-3 stat line. His 16.1 yards per catch average was the highest of his career, and he could prove to be a secondary receiving option on a new team with a short-term agreement in particular.

Many of the top WR options in the 2024 free agent class are already off the market, and the depth of highly-regarded draft prospects at the position could lead to many veterans remaining unsigned for the time being. Baltimore will be a team to watch regarding an addition next month to provide depth in the pass-catching department, as Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman and the recently re-signed Nelson Agholor are on the books. Beckham will not be a part of that group in 2024, however.