Odell Beckham Jr. makes pitch to Lamar Jackson amid contract battle: ‘Would love to get to work with you’

Odell Beckham Jr. is officially a member of the Baltimore Ravens, but who he’ll be catching passes from next season is still very much up in the air. 

At his introductory press conference Thursday, Beckham said he received no assurances from Lamar Jackson that the former MVP would be his quarterback next season. 

“Didn’t get any assurances for anything. You know, life’s uncertain,” Beckham said, according to NFL Network. “I think that we don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow or the next day. We only know what’s happened in the past.”

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Jackson revealed he requested a trade from Baltimore March 2, days before the Ravens placed the non-exclusive franchise tag on the quarterback before the deadline.

But the uncertainty at the quarterback position did not stop Beckham from signing a one-year, $15 million deal in Baltimore after sitting out the entire 2022 season with a knee injury. 

Though the three-time Pro Bowler is clearly hoping Jackson is under center when the Ravens kick off the 2023 season. 

“Lamar, if you’re watching, I would love to get to work with you,” Beckham said as he waved at the camera.

Jackson aided in Beckham’s recruitment, and the two went to dinner and a club after Beckham agreed to the deal, according to ESPN. 

“Lamar’s in our plans. We love Lamar,” Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said Thursday, per ESPN. “Our feelings about Lamar have not changed one bit since the end of the season. We’re hopeful still that we’ll get a long-term deal done. He’s the right player for this team to lead us to where we want to be.

“I think the locker room knows that, the organization knows that. I think the fan base knows that. So, it’s ongoing. But I can’t think of a situation where we wouldn’t think that our best team is with Lamar Jackson on the team in September.”

The deadline for Jackson to sign a long-term deal with Baltimore or sign an offer sheet from another team is July 17.