Getty Ravens QB Lamar Jackson and WR Odell Beckham Jr. projected to form dangerous tandem.
There are numerous new faces in new places around the NFL as many of the league’s most notable names and brightest stars at several premium positions were on the move this offseason — especially on the offensive side of the ball.
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra ranked the nine best new quarterback and wide receiver pairings for the 2023 season. Coming in at No. 2 on the list right behind four-time league MVP Aaron Rodgers and 2022 Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson of the New York Jets was the Baltimore Ravens‘ MVP-winning franchise signal caller and their “shiniest” offseason addition.
“While Rashod Bateman is on track to return healthy, the Ravens’ offseason saw them draft Zay Flowers in the first round and add Nelson Agholor in free agency,” Patra wrote. “However, the shiniest addition is three-time Pro Bowler Odell Beckham Jr.”
The 30-year-old veteran is the highest-profiled weapon that Jackson has ever had at his disposal and that the Ravens have ever had at the position. He is dynamic with the ball in his hands and recorded over 1,000 receiving yards in five of his first six years in the league.
Beckham sat out the entire 2022 season while he recovered from a torn ACL but in his last game on the field, the former first-rounder was putting together a Super Bowl MVP-worthy performance for the eventual champion Los Angeles Rams in the 2021 title game.
Some of the pairings they rank ahead of on the list include 2021 first-overall pick Trevor Lawrence and Calvin Ridley of the Jacksonville Jaguars as well as four-time Pro Bowler Derek Carr and 2022 first-rounder Chris Olave who had a standout rookie year of the New Orleans Saints.
Beckham Will Need to Stay on the Field
When healthy, the eight-year veteran wideout is one of the most electric and awe-inspiring playmakers in the entire league who is capable of making acrobatic catches, running any route, and lineup inside and out wide.
However, his availability has been inconsistent the past few years. In addition to missing all of the 2022 season, he missed three games in 2021 and played in just seven games in 2020. Patra believes that Beckham’s health is the “big caveat” in his prediction given his recent injury history.
“By all accounts, he should be ready to ride at the start of this coming season, giving Jackson a potential field-tilting target the 2022 Ravens sorely lacked,” he wrote. “We haven’t seen the explosive OBJ from early in his career, back when he was a 1,000-yard maven. But during his run with the Rams in 2021, he proved he still has juice.”
Patra pointed out that in Beckham’s last 12 games after joining Los Angeles in Week 10 of the 2021 season including the playoffs, he hauled in seven receiving touchdowns.
In his introductory press conference, Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta made of note of how impressive Beckham looked not only in his last time on the field in a game but the team liked what they saw at the private workout he held in Arizona prior to his signing.
“What we say was extremely encouraging and I can’t wait to see the progression,” he said. “We’re getting somebody that is ready to explode again. He’s in the right environment with the right quarterback with the right team and the right city. It’s the perfect player at the perfect time.”
Patra also pointed out that no Ravens wide receiver topped 50 receptions, 500 receiving yards, or catch more than three touchdowns as the position group was ravaged by season-ending foot injuries to Bateman and two-time Pro Bowl returner Devin Duvernay. Having Beckham headline their revamped depth chart givens than an established veteran presence capable of producing at a high level.
“Even if he can’t recapture his early-career magic, Beckham still provides Baltimore with a proven threat,” he wrote.
Change in Playcaller Will Be Just as Vital to Success
While the Ravens made a significant financial investment to get Beckham on a one-year deal worth up to $18 million, their most impactful addition of the entire offseason may prove to be the change they made offensive coordinator going from Greg Roman to Todd Monken.
“The additions at receiver should immediately boost Jackson’s passing ability,” Patra wrote. “Still, nothing will help the Ravens’ air game more than the change brought by Todd Monken’s new offense, which promises to be more pass-heavy than anything Jackson has previously run in Baltimore.”
He pointed out that the Ravens have ranked in the bottom two in pass attempts per game, passing yards per game, and completions per game since 2019 in Roman first year as the playcaller and Jackson’s first season as the full-time starter.
“The expectation is that a new scheme and fresh weaponry will ignite Jackson’s passing attack,” Patra wrote. “The key will be both the QB and OBJ staying healthy in 2023.”
