Baltimore Ravens: Odell Beckham Jr. offer a desperate move to keep Lamar Jackson?

For weeks now, the sports headlines around Baltimore have mostly read something in regards to quarterback Lamar Jackson. The former MVP formerly requested a trade early in March, but the request was only made public a few days ago.

Since it was made public, that request has been one of the biggest topics of conversations around the NFL. Jackson, a free agent this offseason, was given the non-exclusive franchise tag, which is a bit more intricate than the standard franchise tag.

Since that decision was made by the Ravens, many have wondered whether or not he would end up staying, or if a trade could be imminent. Now, the Ravens appear to have made a potentially-big move in effort to keep their star quarterback happy for one more year.

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, the Ravens have extended an offer to free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

The move to offer Odell Beckham Jr. a contract could be a desperation ploy for the Ravens to retain Lamar Jackson one more season

Even dating back to last season, it seemed as though Jackson wanted the Ravens to sign Beckham to a contract. At this stage, it's better late than never, right?

Not quite ... although this is a nice gesture by Baltimore to try and get Jackson to rescind his request and play out the 2023 season. Still, he could potentially receive offers from other teams. If Jackson were to accept an offer from another team, then the Ravens would have the option to match it

On the surface, any type of franchise tag seems like a bad thing. But, this could play out into Jackson's favor, should another team make him an offer he respects.

The 30-year-old Beckham will turn 31 in November, but the last time we saw him on the league's biggest stage, he was making plays for the then-Super Bowl champion Los Angeles Rams. Age is certainly a factor, but if the Ravens think he can still play, and he has a connection with Jackson, then this move is as smart a move they could make right now.

If Beckham agrees to the contract, that might say more about Jackson's future than anything else at this point. The two of them have a bond, and if Beckham has any inkling Jackson would stick around Baltimore, one would assume he signs the deal with the Ravens.

However, if Beckham signs elsewhere, that could give us an idea that Jackson isn't budging. This could really be a monumental decision by the veteran wideout, which could impact the team's future greatly.