Expecting much from Odell Beckham Jr. upon signing with the Baltimore Ravens was always a mistake, but even his biggest detractors expected more than this.
Through three games, Beckham has just seven receptions for 74 yards. This is hardly what the Ravens signed up for upon agreeing to his one-year $15 million deal. Making the situation a little less ideal is the fact that Beckham has already missed two games due to injury. That was one of the major risks when signing Beckham, and it did not take long to become an issue. With this in mind, it is not a surprise to see Beckham named as one of the five biggest free agent busts.
Now there is a way for this deal to become less ugly for the Ravens. If Beckham can find a way to be somewhat productive and maybe catch a few touchdown passes, Baltimore may end up looking better at the end of the season. But with Lamar Jackson appearing significantly more comfortable throwing to Mark Andrews, Zay Flowers, and Rashod Bateman, Beckham may not have many chances to put up a respective stat line at year’s end.
There is an additional problem that makes it difficult to envision a magical bounce-back happening at this point in his career. Beckham is currently in the midst of a four-season streak that sees him average less yards per game than the year that preceded it. The former LSU star is currently averaging 26.3 yards per game this season, and it does not appear that this will change for the better anytime soon. With his performance trending in this direction over multiple years, there may not be many more chances for Beckham to go out on a better note rather than the quiet exit he appears destined for.
