How Odell Beckham Jr. became the key voice for the Ravens

By | Niranjan Bhargav 28 Sep, 2023

Wide receivers for the Baltimore Ravens used a route known as “Odell” last year.

Odell Beckham Jr., who caught a portion of his 56 career touchdown passes running an end-zone corner route, can provide advice on the play that bears his name in 2023.

Tylan Wallace of the Ravens remarked, “So we’re asking how he runs that against different looks.”

The fact that Beckham is willing to listen to the younger players in his position group—some of whom grew up watching him make highlight-reel catches with the New York Giants at the start of his career—shows that he is evolving from the gifted-yet-mercurial superstar to a wise veteran at the age of 30.

Wallace remarked, “It’s weird. “So when he first arrived, it was kind of like, ‘Oh gosh, I remember watching this man growing up.’ I am now on his squad.

The statements that “grew up watching you play” give Beckham the impression that he is older. He still thinks his legs have some excellent years remaining in them. He is aware of his position with the Ravens, who added another weapon to quarterback Lamar Jackson’s arsenal when they signed him to a one-year, $15 million contract in March.

In the words of Beckham, he “still has a little bit left” in the tank. But the days of stretching defenses as one of the most dynamic playmakers in the NFL are long gone. Two ACL tears will do that; the most recent one caused him to miss the whole 2017 season while playing for the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl 56. Due to an ankle injury he sustained in the previous game, he was unable to play in the Ravens’ Week 3 defeat to the Indianapolis Colts.

Don’t get me wrong, I want to make plays, obviously. I’m looking to get touchdowns. Beckham proclaimed, “I want to dance. “I want to have a good time, but I also want to help the younger guys in any way I can—mentally, physically, and spiritually. I take that chance and position extremely seriously, and I embrace them. For once, I don’t mind being the oldest guy in the room.

The tabloids chronicled every step of Beckham’s ascent to superstardom when his career started in New York, from throwing his helmet into a kicking net to an idiotic boat excursion before a postseason game.

By the time of his time with the Giants, the organization had fined him for publicly disparaging Eli Manning in an ESPN interview. After receiving a five-year, $90 million contract, he was finally traded to the Cleveland Browns in March 2019, less than seven months later. Beckham used a similar strategy that caused him to leave Cleveland in 2021; his disagreements with Baker Mayfield’s quarterback caused the Browns to cut him in the middle of the campaign.

Todd Monken, the offensive coordinator for the Ravens and Beckham’s coach in Cleveland for one season (2019), claimed that maturity comes with experience.

Odell has always been a wonderful human being. He draws people in, Monken observed. He has a wonderful personality. He has a lot of charm. He also enjoys being in the locker room and practicing football.

There is a desire to demonstrate his continued ability to play at a high level. Enjoyable to be around. He has been fantastic with our younger men. He has always been skilled in it. Being a little older, he is more aware of how crucial it is for the younger players.

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