Top 4 highest-paid free agent WRs in NFL history ft. Odell Beckham Jr. (2023 updated)

Odell Beckham Jr.'s story has been an intriguing tale for more than a season. The last time he played, his team won the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, he was also injured during the Los Angeles Rams' victory over the Cincinnati Bengals which meant he was not ready for the start of the 2022 season.

Ultimately, he went unsigned for the entire season and one of the biggest intrigues was who would sign him this season and for how much.

Well, now we know the answer. Odell Beckham Jr. will be signing with the Baltimore Ravens for a contract $15 million in earnings with an added $3 million in incentives, bringing the total up to $18 million. That makes him the highest-paid free agency wide receiver signing this year already, a full $7 million more than Allen Lazard and Jakobi Meyers, who are making $11 million in average annual value (AAV).

This deal catapults OBJ right to the very top echelons of free-agent wide receiver signings. He now lies joint second on the all-time list, overtaken by only one player in NFL history. Read ahead for the full list to find out who his companions are in this class.

Odell Beckham Jr. is now among the top 4 free agent wide receivers of all time based on AAV

#T2- Odell Beckham Jr., Baltimore Ravens, $18 million, 2023

As explained before, Odell Beckham Jr. is getting a one-year contract. While the length might not be as good as given to many top receivers, never mind a Super Bowl-winner, it is understandable given that he is coming off not playing for one season. No one really knows how he will play during games after coming back from his injury.

Tom Pelissero

@TomPelissero

More details on Odell Beckham Jr.‘s one-year deal with the #Ravens:

$13.835 million signing bonus
$1.165 million base salary
$3M in reachable incentives

So OBJ will make at least $15 million and as much as $18M on the deal negotiated by agent Zeke Sandhu. twitter.com/rapsheet/statu…

Ian Rapoport

@RapSheet

Sources: The #Ravens are giving WR Odell Beckham Jr. a 1-year deal worth up to $18M, per me, @MikeGarafolo and @TomPelissero. A weapon for Baltimore’s QB.

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Sources: The #Ravens are giving WR Odell Beckham Jr. a 1-year deal worth up to $18M, per me, @MikeGarafolo and @TomPelissero. A weapon for Baltimore’s QB. https://t.co/q9F8wBT19A

More details on Odell Beckham Jr.‘s one-year deal with the #Ravens:

$13.835 million signing bonus
$1.165 million base salary
$3M in reachable incentives

So OBJ will make at least $15 million and as much as $18M on the deal negotiated by agent Zeke Sandhu. twitter.com/rapsheet/statu…

But the reason that the Baltimore Ravens gave him such a high return in a single year is also not surprising. First, they really lack depth in the position and a wide receiver was always a requirement for them. Secondly, they have built a team around Lamar Jackson, who is now looking to go somewhere else.

Getting Odell Beckham Jr. shows their ambition and might make Jackson want to stay. Failing which, they now have a top wide receiver for any quarterback coming in. Passing will become even more important if Lamar leaves, as not many quarterbacks can extend the play with their legs like he can.

#T2 - Christian Kirk, Jacksonville Jaguars, $18 million, 2022

For Odell Beckham Jr. this season, read Christian Kirk last season. The 4-year, $72 million contract that the Jaguars gave for him shocked the market. It immediately raised eyebrows, as it was a huge payout for a player who had never reached 1,000 yards in four seasons before. But Jacksonville and newly installed head coach Doug Pederson wanted an exciting offense and wanted to give Trevor Lawrence the requisite weapon.

So far, they have been vindicated by getting the former Arizona Cardinals wide receiver. Last season, he breached 1,000 receiving yards for the first time and contributed 8 touchdowns, the highest of his career. Maybe that is what influenced Baltimore's decision to give OBJ a $18 million contract this year.

Demetrius Harvey

@Demetrius82

#Jaguars WR Christian Kirk has set career highs in all major receiving categories:

78 receptions, 1009 yards and 7 TDs.

He also has 51 first downs (career high, prev. 45).

He signed a four-year $72 million contract with Jacksonville and it's paid off for both parties.

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#Jaguars WR Christian Kirk has set career highs in all major receiving categories:

78 receptions, 1009 yards and 7 TDs.

He also has 51 first downs (career high, prev. 45).

He signed a four-year $72 million contract with Jacksonville and it's paid off for both parties.

#T2 - Kenny Golladay, New York Giants, $18 million, 2021

Joining Odell Beckham Jr. and Christian Kirk is Kenny Golladay. But if OBJ's status is unknown and Kirk is a relative success, it is fair to say the Giants did not get the best out of what they threw at Golladay. He was signed to a 4-year $72 million deal. It seemed like a good deal at the time. He was a Pro Bowler in 2019 and was the receiving touchdown leader in the same season. Playing for the Detroit Lions, a historically underachieving franchise, and achieving those markers is no small feat.

However, after playing for the last two seasons, he is once again a free agent now. In the season that they signed him, he did not have a single receiving touchdown. He was given the opportunity once more in a revitalized offense under Brian Daboll last season but could not grab the chance. He was plagued by injuries and scored a single touchdown before being released at the conclusion of the season.

Front Office Sports

@FOS

The New York Giants signed Kenny Golladay to a $72 million contract in 2021.

When they release him on March 15th, they'll have paid him $36 million for just 43 catches and 1 touchdown.

The Giants paid Golladay about $837,000 per catch.

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The New York Giants signed Kenny Golladay to a $72 million contract in 2021.

When they release him on March 15th, they'll have paid him $36 million for just 43 catches and 1 touchdown.

The Giants paid Golladay about $837,000 per catch. https://t.co/iXfyE5BwbD

#1 - Amari Cooper, Dallas Cowboys, $20 million, 2020

The standard bearer among all free-agent wide receivers remains Amari Cooper. He was given a five-year $100 million contract in 2020 by the Dallas Cowboys. He was already on the Dallas roster since 2018 and came into that off-season with back-to-back Pro Bowl selections, adding to the two he already had from his time with the Oakland Raiders. So, it did not seem like too much when they paid him that money.

Ryan Blank

@rmblank4

NFL Free Agency Thread: Team Nine: Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have been in a tough spot this offseason. They lost star CB Byron Jones and placed QB Dak Prescott on the franchise tag. However, the Cowboys resigned Amari Cooper to a five-year deal worth $100 million.

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NFL Free Agency Thread: Team Nine: Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys have been in a tough spot this offseason. They lost star CB Byron Jones and placed QB Dak Prescott on the franchise tag. However, the Cowboys resigned Amari Cooper to a five-year deal worth $100 million.

He had productive seasons in 2020 and 2021, reaching above 1,000 receiving yards in the former. But with the emergence of new talent like CeeDee Lamb, who is still on his rookie contract, his contract has started to weigh him down. He was traded in 2021 to the Cleveland Browns.

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