Odell Beckham Jr. with Giants on first day of offseason program
Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. reacts on the sideline during a game against the Chargers at MetLife Stadium on Oct. 8, 2017. Credit: Kathleen Malone-Van Dyke
Odell Beckham Jr. was in the building.
That much Giants coach Pat Shurmur would say on the morning of the first day of the offseason program. As for what it actually meant in terms of Beckham’s future with the team, what kind of negotiations will take place in the coming weeks and months between the two sides, and whether it is some kind of signal about Beckham’s desire to remain with the Giants despite a recent flurry of speculation that he might not, well, it’s still a little early for all of that.
“I’m not overthinking this,” said Shurmur, who planned to have a conversation with Beckham later in the afternoon on Monday. “This is the first day of work. This is the first opportunity for all of us to be here together. I think it’s important that Odell is here, I’m looking forward to him getting one day better by being here, and I’m looking forward to him inspiring some of his teammates to get better because he’s here.”
Shurmur said he was in communication with Beckham during the dark period of the offseason when football conversations are forbidden. They met together in Los Angeles a few weeks back, and Shurmur said he has spoken with Beckham since.
It was during that time that the trade rumors and reports of a possible Beckham holdout began to surface. Shurmur did not go into detail on those conversations, but Beckham’s attendance at the voluntary start of the offseason program should speak to some of the context of those talks.
“I’m not worried about it,” Shurmur said of how all of the headlines affected Beckham. “I really believe that Odell is a professional. He wants to be great. He understands the importance of the offseason. He’s a competitive guy. We had already started communicating before all that information kind of got out there and was talked about a great deal. He’s a professional, and I’m glad he’s here today.”
So was Eli Manning. The quarterback knows, however, that Beckham’s presence might not last.
“Odell, he’s got to do what is best for him in getting ready to play this upcoming season,” Manning said on a conference call on Monday. “I’ll talk to him and give my two cents on everything, but he’s got to do what he feels is best for him to get ready and play at a high level.”
That could mean staying in New Jersey with the team. Or it could mean returning to Los Angeles to continue his rehab from ankle surgery there. Or, with Beckham’s penchant for popping up on social media with celebrities around the globe, it could mean any of a thousand other possibilities.
The one thing that Manning seemed certain of is that he and Beckham will be teammates going forward. While both of their tenures with the Giants have been up in the air to various degrees this offseason, Manning said it’s important to not pay attention to rumors.
“I think over the years you just can’t get caught up with what’s being said on TV or in the news or what people assume is happening,” Manning said. “It doesn’t help. You don’t know where these things get started or where it’s going.
“I think it’s important when those things happen to just have great communication with your coaches and with the ownership and whatnot and make sure everyone is on the same page. I never got too concerned with it. We all know the talent that Odell has and what he brings to the football field, and I look forward to playing with him this year and for years to come.”
Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and became its NFL columnist in 2022. He previously was Newsday's Giants beat writer beginning in 2008.
