It’s been known for several days that the one-year contract signed by new Ravens receiver Odell Beckham Jr. includes $15 million guaranteed. The question becomes the $3 million in supposedly “reachable” incentives.
They are indeed reachable.
Per a source with knowledge of the terms, Beckham can earn an extra $1 million based on three categories: receptions, receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns.
The formula for receptions goes like this, for receptions: (1) $250,000 for 30 catches; (2) $500,000 for 40 catches; (3) $750,000 for 50 catches; or (4) $1 million for 60 catches, or if he leads the team in receptions.
For receiving yardage, it’s this: (1) $250,000 for 250 yards; (2) $500,000 for 500 yards; (3) $750,000 for 750 yards; or (4) $1 million for 1,000 yards, or if he leads the team in receiving yards.
For receiving touchdowns, it’s this: (1) $250,000 for three; (2) $500,000 for five; (3) $750,000 for seven; or (4) $1 million for nine, or if he leads the team in receiving touchdowns.
So if he’s the No. 1 receiver and the No. 1 option in the passing game, he should get the full $3 million. While that dynamic can create friction if he’s not getting the ball as much as he’d want, these incentives give Beckham a very real motivation to try to get quarterback Lamar Jackson to show up early, so that they’ll develop the right rapport -- and so that Beckham will ultimately earn the extra $3 million.
Beckham also has a signing bonus of $13.835 million, and a guaranteed base salary of $1.165 million. The deal includes four voidable years, which reduces the 2023 cap number from $15 million to $3.932 million.