When last we saw Giants receiver Odell Beckham, he was making a business decision on an onside kick that ultimately saw the Bears force overtime in New Jersey. The Giants may now have a business decision to make about Odell Beckham.
Pat Leonard of the New York Daily News raises the question of whether it’s time for the Giants to move on, even though only four months ago they signed him to a long-term deal.
Ordinarily an inconceivable proposition for a guy who had just signed a multi-year, big-money contract, the fumes of that goofy ESPN interview from early October linger. In a bizarre sit-down with a bemused Lil’ Wayne at Beckham’s side, Beckham took a shot at quarterback Eli Manning and answered the anything-but-yes-means-no question of whether Beckham is happy in New York by saying, “That’s a tough question.”
And so it now could be time for the Giants to face some hard truths. Beckham already may be more trouble than he’s worth, and if another team thinks they can get more worth than trouble out of Beckham, then maybe a trade will happen.
Last year, the Rams seemed to be hot on Beckham’s trail in late March, before L.A. landed Brandin Cooks. This year, as the records reset to 0-0 and after the coaching carousel whirs to a conclusion and teams hope to start building hope for 2019, maybe some other coach will think he can bend Beckham in the right direction, harnessing his skills while minimizing any potential distractions he may create.
It would result in a $16 million cap charge for the Giants in 2019, but it would clear $16.75 million in guaranteed salary off the books. And it would give Beckham’s new team a five-year, $74 million arrangement, a $14.8 million annual average which compares very favorably to the market.
Sure, the Giants would have to swallow the fact that they will have paid Beckham more than $21 million for 12 games in 2018, but if they can wave around a first-round pick plus something more than that, maybe it will have been worth it. It ultimately will be an ownership call, but after a full year of working with Beckham, coach Pat Shurmur and G.M. Dave Gettleman surely have enough information to make with confidence a decision as to whether Beckham is the right guy to help the Giants move forward, given that the team has only one playoff appearance -- the one-and-out Miami boat trip game at Lambeau Field -- to show for Beckham’s five NFL seasons.