How a LVI Super Bowl Champion Wide Receiver is Too Risky for the Giants Rebuild
Odell Beckham Jr. already has a history with the Giants. As of today, New York's newest head coach, John Harbaugh, has said he would not mind bringing Beckham back to the team. In the midst of rebuilding this team, it is neither a terrible nor a great idea. The 33-year-old wide receiver has shown both signs of hope and many downfalls in the years since leaving Big Blue. The Giants have a lot to think about before they even decide to make this move possible.
Beckham played with the Giants from 2014 to 2018 after being drafted in the first round, 12th overall. During his time with New York, he had several great years. In 2014, Beckham was named Rookie of the Year. For the following three years, there were three straight 1,000-yard seasons. During his time with New York, Beckham appeared in 59 games, recorded 390 receptions, and scored 44 touchdowns. The veteran wide receiver was also a Pro Bowler for three years during his time with the Giants, becoming the face of the franchise almost instantly due to his elite speed and the belief that he could help fix a franchise that was beginning to fall apart at the time.
Things took a turn for the worse in 2015, when Beckham’s career began to decline. The infamous fight with Josh Norman shifted media coverage from talent to his behavior. The pressure began to affect him, leading to sideline outbursts shortly after. This was also the same year the Giants lost to the Packers in the playoffs. In 2017, a broken ankle derailed the season, and Beckham’s presence on a struggling team created tension in the locker room among many players.
His time with the Giants ended in 2019, when New York traded Beckham to the Cleveland Browns for a first-round pick, which became Dexter Lawrence that year. Since then, the 33-year-old wide receiver has struggled to reach the same level of play seen in New York. Multiple injuries, ranging from ankle issues to a torn ACL, sidelined Beckham for an entire season during his time with the Cleveland Browns. Two years later, the same ACL injury occurred in the same knee during Super Bowl LVI while playing with the Rams against the Bengals. Beckham is not the same player he once was. Explosive 70-yard plays have not been as common as they were at the beginning of his NFL career.
The idea of nostalgia for this team is appealing, but the Giants are now moving in a completely different direction. The roster does not need a veteran coming in and taking targets that may not be converted. Big Blue needs more reps for its current and younger players. The team could also spend the money elsewhere instead of bringing Beckham back. This is a really risky move for the organization. It would be fun for fans, but it is not part of a rebuild that the Giants should focus on.
