Ravens' Odell Beckham Jr. explains why he skipped voluntary workouts

Star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. revealed why he skipped the voluntary portion of the offseason program after he signed with the Baltimore Ravens in April. 

"I think the excitement when I signed with Baltimore, me not being there – we have to get to the place where we understand that all that stuff (organized team activities) is voluntary, and each individual has their own lives and we don’t know what’s going on with the individual and their life," Beckham explained during a conversation with Scott Thompson of Fox News Digital. "I joked with my people, 'I know the Ravens just bought a Ferrari and they want to take it out on the track, but I want to take that Ferrari out on the track when we’re out in California, it’s 82 degrees with a little breeze. Not when it’s a little rainy and you can’t push it to the limit.'" 

Beckham hasn't played in a meaningful game since he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during Super Bowl LVI back in February 2022. It was thought this past December he could land with the Dallas Cowboys before the playoffs until Dallas reportedly became concerned about his recovery following a team physical. 

After Beckham signed a one-year, $15M contract with Baltimore that could be worth up to $18M, general manager Eric DeCosta made it known the Ravens "saw everything we needed to see" regarding Beckham's surgically-repaired knee. The three-time Pro Bowl selection who turns 31 years old in November attended mandatory minicamp earlier this month and expects to be good to go for the season opener versus the Houston Texans on Sept. 10. 

"It’s about peaking at the right time," Beckham added about his preparations for his first campaign with Baltimore. "There’s no other way for me to put it. I’m on that slow incline to where, come Sept. 10 or whatever that date is, that’s when I’ll be ready. [I’m] not ready to play in a game right now and that’s OK. I think the most important thing is about how to get there and how to last for the season."

As of Wednesday afternoon, OddsChecker listed the Ravens fifth among betting favorites at +1200 odds to represent the AFC in Super Bowl LVIII. Baltimore will want Beckham at his best and healthy through early February as the club pursues a goal that goes beyond just qualifying for the postseason tournament after it retained quarterback Lamar Jackson via a record deal this spring.