The Giants and Odell Beckham Jr. still have some work to do when it comes to his contractual situation, but the impending talks won’t keep him from the practice field. OBJ will be in attendance for the Giants’ offseason team activities on Monday, a source tells Josina Anderson of ESPN.com (on Twitter).
The 25-year-old is entering the final year of his rookie deal and earlier this year it was reported that he could consider a holdout if he did not get the pricey contract extension he was after. The big money deal has yet to arrive, but OBJ will arrive for Phase 3.
The news of OBJ’s participation in OTAs is not totally unexpected since he already took part in individual drills this offseason. Still, it’s a positive sign for Beckham’s mindset, even as the Giants say they won’t rush their way into a new deal.
“I wouldn’t say a sense of urgency,” Giants co-owner John Mara said recently. “The contract will get done when it’s supposed to get done. I think that’s the Dave Gettleman line. I’m gonna adopt that I think, all spring, all summer, as long as it takes.”
Beckham is set to earn earn $8.5MM in 2018, per the terms of his fifth-year option. Before the 2017 season, it was said that he was seeking a deal in excess of $100MM. That may be a lofty goal, but a $90MM pact certainly seems within reach after Mike Evans secured a new $82.5MM deal from the Bucs earlier this year.
Last year, Beckham was one of several jinxed Giants receivers to succumb to the injury bug. This year, the WR group has received a face lift following the release of Brandon Marshall and addition of former Broncos receiver Cody Latimer. Sterling Shepard, who had 59 catches for 731 yards and two scores in eleven games last year, will start alongside Beckham.