The latest Odell Beckham Jr. distraction might not be a deal-breaker for the Giants, but it’s clearly not what they’d prefer from their star wideout who happens to want a new contract.
Giants co-owner John Mara told Tom Rock of Newsday he had grown weary of some of the sideshow aspects of his best player’s life.
“I’m tired of answering questions about Odell’s behavior,” Mara said. “He knows what is expected of him and now it’s up to him.”
Beckham turned up in a video with a woman and a pizza and an unusually dark cigarette and a pile of a white powder,
When Mara was asked if that video was an example of knowing what the expectations were, he replied: “It wasn’t helpful.”
Beckham’s entering the final year of his rookie deal, and speculation has swirled about a possible extension for months. Mara didn’t want to go there, or whether he was worth the headaches that come with his brand of stardom.
“I’m not going to talk about his contract,” Mara said. “Contracts get done when they’re supposed to get done. We’ll just have to see what happens.”
Mara hasn’t spoken with Beckham, but said coach Pat Shurmur had. Later in the day during a group interview, Mara said the Giants aren’t shoipping Beckham actively, but they just traded Jason Pierre-Paul, and he noted that “no one is untouchable.”
The Giants have said in the past they wanted Beckham to stay in New York his entire career, and it’s unclear if the latest episode is enough to change that. New General Manager Dave Gettleman said at the Scouting Combine Beckham had a “clean slate” with him, but it seems Gettleman’s boss has a longer memory.