Odell Beckham Jr. has solidified himself as one of the top receivers in football. He posted at least 90 catches, 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons. The LSU product has missed 16 games in the last two seasons due to injury. Beckham's list of achievements is endless.
He is the fastest player in NFL history to 100 career receptions, has the most receptions through the first 15 games of a career and was the youngest player in league history with multiple games having 10-or-more catches. His list of rookie receiving records is too long to list.
Despite his individual success, the team has struggled and Beckham has created countless headlines that have little to do with football. He has been described as a “diva” and there is no more accurate word. Who can forget his ludicrous touchdown celebration against the Eagles, the temper tantrum he threw that ended with the receiver getting hit with the kicking net; or countless post-game interviews where he did not back up his team. Owner John Mara even weighed in on Beckham saying he wants the receiver to “create the headlines by his play on the field as opposed to what he says off the field.”
The media has pegged Beckham as a diva and a bad teammate. His teammates have not come out and spoken again him but the rumors have to come from somewhere. Beckham does not hide the fact that he is outspoken. He has received many fines for his antics on and off the field. Most of the time hinting that it does not effect him. Whatever he wants is what he will do. He has had individual success but that's all it is. The Giants would be better off if they traded away the troublesome receiver.
Saquon Barkley
The Giants used the second overall pick on Saquon Barkley instead of a franchise quarterback from USC. They were not thinking long-term with this selection because the Giants are not ready to win now. Nonetheless, Barkley went from Penn State to the Giants and his success was effortless. He finished the year with 1,307 yards and 11 touchdowns averaging five yards per carry. The rookie added 91 catches and four touchdowns receiving.
Was Darnold the smart pick? Probably. But Barkley is a generational talent that the Giants are happy to have even though the life of a running back is short and success at the position is not nearly as important. The Giants have a new star. Barkley was a star before stepping on a professional field and his play confirmed it. There were rumors that Beckham did not like to share the spotlight. whether that was true or not, his interviews seemed to hint at it.
New York has a receiver with a lot of potential in Sterling Shepard and a tight end that can turn into a star himself in Evan Engram. Barkley is the next big thing, not only in New York but in the entire league. Having two stars seems beneficial but it would behoove the Giants even more to trade Beckham for a large return.
Money
Beckham signed a five-year, $90 million extension with the Giants in the off-season. He is guaranteed $65 million. The contract will begin this upcoming season and have a $21 million cap hit for this year and just over $19 million per year for the remainder of the contract. It is hard to fathom giving a receiver this kind of money. It is even harder to fathom giving that money to a receiver who has had trouble winning.
Some say that the best players get the most money. That is a flawed statement. Quarterbacks will make the most money because of their importance to the team. A receiver cannot make the same impact which is why they should not get quarterback money. The Giants have holes on the offensive line. They could use another player or two on the line to sure it up. The Giants traded away Eli Apple and Damon Harrison which left their defense wounded. Barkley will have to be paid eventually if New York decided to make him the focal point of this team. Most importantly, Eli Manning is most likely in his last year. The Giants have been rumored to draft a quarterback but with Justin Herbert returning to school, there is no guarantee.
The money Beckham is making is just too much to give to a receiver. Especially one like Beckham. Again, fans were blinded by this contract and just seemed satisfied that Beckham was locked up for four more seasons. In the long run though, it was not the best business decision by the Giants.
Success of the New York Giants
The Giants drafted Odell Beckham Jr. out of LSU with the 12th pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. No one expected him to turn into the player that he is but the Giants have been mediocre. Fans are blinded by the individual success of Beckham and are quick to place blame on any other part of the team. The bottom line is, they have come in last place with him, they can do it without him.
New York has gone 31-49 in five years since drafting Beckham. They have just one appearance in a playoff game which they lost 38-13 to Green Bay. Beckham finished with four catches for 28 yards and two end zone drops. But at least he enjoyed a Miami trip the week before. The lack of success in New York has been blamed on a two-time Super Bowl winning quarterback who is playing behind one of the worst offensive lines. The defense has shared blame and even the head coaches. Tom Coughlin, Ben McAdoo and now Pat Shurmur have had trouble disciplining the receiver. Beckham has openly criticized the team's offensive game plan and quarterback.
It comes down to the fact that the Giants have been bad with Beckham. They have not won anything and winning is not on the horizon. It is hard to make an argument to keep Beckham using more than his individual stats.
Follow Us
Subscribe