There’s a chance wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. returns to the AFC North. Now healthy after recovering from a torn ACL, Beckham Jr. held a workout with several teams Friday in Arizona. According to CBS’ Jonathan Jones, the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens were two of the clubs in attendance.
Other teams to attend include the Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, and Buffalo Bills. Of course, Beckham isn’t far removed from playing for the Browns, with the team from 2019 until partway through 2021 when a falling out led to his release. He signed with the Los Angeles Rams and won a Super Bowl, though it came at the cost of tearing his ACL mid-way through the game.
Beckham Jr. appeared set to try and come back late in the 2022 NFL season. But those rumors had more bark than bite and he simply wasn’t healthy enough to take the field. So far, he’s been strongly linked to the Dallas Cowboys, though it doesn’t appear they were at his workout. Still, the film from his practice will be passed around to every team in the league. It should come as no surprise but the Steelers also weren’t in attendance.
The Ravens are desperate for receiver help, something they’ve consistently lacked for several seasons. Rashod Bateman has the talent of a top receiver but has failed to stay healthy his first two years in the league. The team has little behind him. Last season, Demarcus Robinson was the team’s top wide receiver in receptions and yards. Still, the team has TE Mark Andrews while rookie Isaiah Likely impressed when called upon.
Now that Beckham has worked out, a signing could happen at any time. Though he’s able to sign at any time, he’s more likely to be inked within a couple of weeks after the new league year begins. This year’s group of free agent wide receivers is considered weak and the draft lacks top-end talent, making Beckham more attractive to teams who need the help. For his career, Beckham has made three Pro Bowls, catching 531 career passes for more than 7300 yards and 56 touchdowns.
