When the Baltimore Ravens signed Odell Beckham Jr. this week, it led many to believe the wideout was provided inside knowledge about an impending resolution between the organization and Lamar Jackson.
Beckham expressed during his introductory press conference Thursday how that was not the case, however.
“I’ve talked to Lamar when we was out there and I know that’s a better discussion for these two as far as how that’s going to get handled,” Beckham told reporters while sitting next to Ravens head coach John Harbaugh and general manager Eric DeCosta, per the team. “But the goal was to come here and have that possibility to play with him. I’m excited about that opportunity.”
Jackson revealed he requested a trade from the team in early March.
“I didn’t get any assurances for anything,” Beckham said of Jackson’s status. “You know, life is uncertain. We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, the next day. We only know what’s happened in the past. So to me, just excited about the possibility of that. My thoughts would be that he would be here. I know these two (Harbaugh, DeCosta) want him to be here. And at the end of the day that’s going to be up to them.”
DeCosta shared how he had not talked with Jackson since the team signed Beckham to a one-year deal worth up to $18 million. Instead, he called it “ongoing.”
“Lamar is in our plans,” DeCosta told reporters, per the team. “We’re hopeful still that we’ll get a long-term deal done.”
Jackson’s future with the team, though, remains in question. The Ravens and Jackson have been at odds over a contract agreement and Baltimore used the non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson earlier this offseason. Since then, and especially since his trade request was made public, Jackson has been in a number of trade rumors, including some involving the New England Patriots.
As for why Beckham chose the Ravens, the 30-year-old explained how he felt “wanted” by the Ravens. Perhaps that desire from Baltimore was more of a last-ditch effort to try to please their franchise quarterback.
