28 July 2023 , 10:30
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Odell Beckham Jr has his heart set on getting back to his electrifying best, insisting that he feels good following his return to practice at training camp with the Baltimore Ravens after a year on the sidelines.
The 30-year-old wide receiver joined the Ravens on a one-year, $15 million deal after sitting out last season while he recovered from a knee injury that he picked up during Super Bowl LVI in February 2022. The injury forced the former Los Angeles Rams star to undergo surgery on his knee for the second time in the span of just three years.
After going down the long road of recovery, Beckham Jr insists that there are "no real limitations" on what he can do in practice and has vowed to work hard ahead of the new season, as he hopes to combine with quarterback Lamar Jackson to fire the Ravens deep into the postseason.
Beckham Jr was running and cutting, while also showing off the route-running skills that have earned him three Pro Bowl selections. And in Wednesday's first practice of camp, Beckham Jr and Jackson gave a glimpse of what their link-up could look like this season, as the former caught a deep pass from his new quarterback.
"I don't know percentages; I just feel good," Beckham Jr said. "I feel like I'm going to continue to work to get back to who I know I truly am."
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He added: "I wanted to be grateful for that moment. It was a long time in rehab. I didn't care what happened [on the field]. It was a blessing to step on the field."
Beckham Jr was running and cutting without any problems (Getty)The wide receiver has also visibly bulked up since minicamp in June but he was quick to refuse to answer a question on how much he weighed. "I don't know exactly," Beckham Jr said. "Enough. Someone was like: 'How much you weigh -- 180 [pounds]?' It was funny to me because I'm nowhere near 180."
Baltimore had a passing attack that finished 28th in the NFL last season but they have high hopes that Beckham Jr and rookie first-round pick Zay Flowers can help change their fortunes. Ravens coach John Harbaugh expects more progress from Beckham Jr during training camp as the team build up to the start of the season in September.
"It seems to be that Odell has a good plan, and I see him working himself on a schedule to be ready to start the season," Harbaugh said. "He's definitely not where he's going to be, but you could see the step from minicamp, so that was a good step in the right direction."