OBJ: ‘No real limitations’ at Ravens training camp

Jamison Hensley, ESPN Staff WriterJul 27, 2023, 06:17 PM ET
Close

OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Odell Beckham Jr. did a dance at the start of his second Baltimore Ravens training camp practice, flailing his arms around while bouncing from side to side. Then, he turned around and sprinted full speed in a wide receiver drill.

Now 17 months removed from his left knee injury, Beckham indicated Thursday there are “no real limitations” on what he can do in practice.

“I don’t know percentages; I just feel good,” Beckham said. “I feel like I’m going to continue to work to get back to who I know I truly am.”

Beckham, 30, hasn’t played in a game since injuring his knee in Super Bowl LVI in February 2022. This led to the second surgery on his left knee in a three-year span.

As he starts his first training camp since 2021, Beckham is running and cutting without hesitation and showing off the route-running skills that made him a three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver. He even caught a deep pass from quarterback Lamar Jackson in the first practice of camp on Wednesday.

On returning to the field, Beckham said: “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.”

A reporter commented to Beckham that he looked like he had added more muscle since minicamp in June, which prompted Beckham to flex both arms.

Beckham declined to say how much weight he has put on over the last month, saying: “I don’t know exactly. Enough. Someone was like: ‘How much you weigh — 180 [pounds]?’ It was funny to me because I’m nowhere near 180.”

The Ravens signed Beckham in April to a one-year, $15 million contract, which is the most given to a free agent wide receiver this year. Baltimore is banking on Beckham and rookie first-round pick Zay Flowers to help turn around a passing attack that finished 28th in the NFL last season.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said he noticed Beckham has looked even more comfortable now than he did in minicamp a month ago.

“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.”