The Baltimore Ravens have often been viewed as one of the model organizations in the NFL, from their front office to their coaching staff.
John Harbaugh has helped lead the Ravens to the playoffs in 11 of his 17 seasons as head coach and Baltimore is primed to make another postseason run when the 2024 regular season ends.
The Ravens have a reputation for building a consistent contender through the draft and developing their players, with the occasional free agent signing helping them remain one of the top teams in the AFC.
And while the Baltimore Ravens currently have the No.1 offense in the NFL, there is still a void at WR — even when both Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman are completely healthy — they have needed another pass-catcher to help open up options downfield for Jackson and company.
This year they traded for Diontae Johnson and that has been a disaster so far, but ESPN’s Bill Barnwell recently wrote a piece highlighting every team’s worst decision since 2020, and pointed to the free agency signing of Odell Beckham Jr. last year as Baltimore’s worst move.
Here’s what Barnwell said:
Signing Odell Beckham Jr. to a one-year, $15 million contract 2023)
There aren't many transactions that lead to widespread confusion in text chains around the NFL, and the ones that do almost never involve the Ravens. Few people were surprised after Beckham signed with Baltimore, and when the deal was reported as $15 million, most assumed it included a small guarantee and significant incentives. Business as usual for Baltimore.
When it became clear that virtually all of the contract was guaranteed, though, the texts started flying. Beckham hadn't produced a 1,000-yard season since 2019, and while he played good football during the Rams' run to Super Bowl LVI, the torn ACL he suffered during that game cost him all of the 2022 season. It felt like an aggressive move for a player on the wrong side of 30, especially before the team signed Lamar Jackson to his contract extension.
Beckham ended up having a pedestrian season, catching 35 passes for 565 yards and three scores. The Ravens tried using him as a full-time starter, but after an ankle injury in Week 2, he played about half of the offensive snaps the rest of the way. He had four catches for 34 yards in two postseason games before he left in free agency. He's now a free agent again after being released by the Dolphins.
