Report: Ravens Nearly Traded for Broncos' Courtland Sutton Before OBJ Contract

The Baltimore Ravens may have gotten their new No. 1 wide receiver in Odell Beckham Jr., but the three-time Pro Bowler wasn't always the team's main target.

The organization looked at multiple avenues to improve its receiving corps, and one of those was trying to trade for Denver Broncos pass-catcher Courtland Sutton, according to The Athletic's Jeff Zrebiec.

The Broncos ultimately decided they didn't want to trade Sutton, a team captain and Pro Bowler.

Baltimore went on to sign Beckham to a one-year, $15 million contract.

"We're getting someone who's ready to explode again, and he's in the right environment, with the right quarterback, with the right team and in the right city," general manager Eric DeCosta said of Beckham at his introductory press conference Thursday. "He's the perfect player at the perfect time."

While it turned out to be a fairly big contract to get Beckham, who missed all of last season with a torn ACL, it could pay off quickly if he's able to regain the form that he had in the early phases of his career when he was one of the elite pass-catchers in the league.

In each of his first three seasons with the New York Giants, he had at least 90 receptions and 1,300 yards. Since then he's had two ACL tears, however.

Beckham would benefit from having Lamar Jackson under center. Jackson requested a trade in early March, and since the Ravens have used the non-exclusive franchise tag on him. DeCosta said Thursday that Jackson is "in our plans."

Meanwhile, Sutton will be entering a new era with the Broncos under Sean Payton. He, Russell Wilson and the rest of Denver's offense will try to rebound following a disappointing season.

They finished dead last in the league in scoring at 16.9 points per game.