Report details what Odell Beckham Jr. meant to 2023 Ravens

It appears the Baltimore Ravens may want star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. back for another season at the right price for reasons that go beyond the on-the-field numbers he posted during the 2023 campaign. 

"Baltimore officials were impressed by his impact in the locker room and his positive influence on young wide receivers such as (2023 first-round draft pick) Zay Flowers and (2021 first-round choice) Rashod Bateman," Jamison Hensley of ESPN wrote about Beckham for a piece published Monday morning. 

Beckham didn't play during the 2022 season while recovering from left knee surgery but was nevertheless linked with clubs such as the Dallas Cowboys and New York Jets before he signed a one-year, $15M contract with the Ravens last spring. According to ESPN stats, the 31-year-old finished this past regular season tied for third on the Ravens with 35 receptions, second with 64 targets, second with 565 receiving yards and fifth with three touchdown catches. 

Hensley mentioned that Beckham's average of 16.1 yards per catch this season was a career high for the veteran. With that said, it's unclear just how much Baltimore would want to spend on someone who probably is no longer a Pro Bowl player at the position but could receive one last significant payday from a receiver-needy team. 

"(Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta) both expressed confidence that Bateman will have a breakout year after his first season not limited by injuries," Hensley pointed out.

Hensley added that Baltimore could essentially replace Beckham's statistical contributions by drafting a rookie receiver later this spring.

"That's a critical position; the data supports that," DeCosta said about wide receivers while speaking with reporters at the NFL scouting combine last week. "And that's a position, too, where some of these guys are like race cars; they break down at times. And so, having depth at that position is critical, [and] we saw that this year. I think it's a very, very deep year in the draft. This draft class is pretty impressive from a receiver standpoint."

Interestingly, Nick Shook of the league's website predicted last week that a New York Giants team in desperate need of help at receiver could bring Beckham back to what was his first NFL home from 2014 through the 2018 season. The Jets could also explore giving quarterback Aaron Rodgers a proven big-name target such as Beckham or Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings.

History suggests Beckham may not offer the Ravens a discount if another contender calls about his services assuming he reaches free agency on March 14.