Lamar Jackson Says Odell Beckham Jr. Chemistry 'Is There,' Praises Ravens WR's Speed

Despite tearing his ACL the last time he played in an NFL game, Odell Beckham Jr. appears to still have impressive speed.

Speaking to reporters after Tuesday's practice session, Lamar Jackson heaped praise on the three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver.

"I feel like our chemistry, it's there," Jackson said of Beckham. "And he's a lot faster than people give him credit for. A lot faster."

Jackson showed off his speed and ball-tracking skills on a deep catch from Jackson in a joint practice with the Washington Commanders.

The Ravens invested a lot of resources this offseason to improving their offense, especially the passing game. They hired Todd Monken to replace Greg Roman as their offensive coordinator.

Beckham received $15 million guaranteed with an additional $3 million in incentives on his one-year deal with the club. He got that money despite not playing during the 2022 season while recovering from a torn ACL suffered in Super Bowl 56 with the Los Angeles Rams.

Zay Flowers was Baltimore's first-round pick (No. 22 overall) in the 2023 NFL draft. Rashod Bateman, the No. 27 pick in the 2021 draft, is still on the roster and hoping to make an impact after injuries limited him to six games last season.

The Ravens finally left no doubt that Jackson is their long-term answer at quarterback. He signed a five-year, $260 million deal with the team that ended a long standoff between the two sides.

The investment in wide receivers this offseason can be seen as both an olive branch to Jackson and an admission they have struggled to put playmakers around their star quarterback to maximize his passing abilities.

It's also a good way to help Jackson pull back on having to run the ball so much to preserve his body.

Beckham does not have the same explosiveness he did early in his career and coming off a serious knee injury, it would be a surprise if the 30-year-old was still capable of that level of playmaking, but the Ravens don't need him to be a superstar to make a huge difference.

If Beckham plays at the level he did with the Rams down the stretch during the 2021 season, he will be arguably the best receiver Jackson has played with in the NFL. He was terrific in the postseason for Los Angeles with 288 yards and two touchdowns on 21 receptions in four games.