New York Giants superstar wide receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. has taken a lot of flak for staying away from the voluntary organized team activities taking place at the Giants’ headquarters in East Rutherford this week and last. It was initially thought that OBJ was just being himself, chilling out on the west coast and working out on his own.
But on Monday, veteran NFL reporter Adam Schefter tweeted that Beckham’s motives could be financial in nature.
No one in Odell Beckham Jr. camp has admitted it, but his absence from OTAs is directly related to his desire for a new deal, per sources.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) June 7, 2017
As a fourth year pro, Beckham is scheduled to earn $1.839 million in 2017, but the the team elected to exercise the fifth year on his rookie deal, which will pay him approximately $8.5 million next season. But in the NFL we all know contracts are sometimes not worth the paper they are printed on. It’s all about guaranteed money, and that usually comes in the form of a long term contract.
As one of the best players the Giants have drafted in their 95-year history, OBJ wants to be paid like it. The former LSU star burst onto the scene like a whirlwind, breaking and setting records almost weekly while making acrobatic catch after acrobatic catch. He has become a media and fan favorite with his image splashed all over social media and advertising platforms. He recently signed the largest shoe deal in the history of the NFL.
But Beckham’s football salary pales in comparison to his peers, which are becoming fewer by the day. His $3.31 cap hit ranks 45th among wide receivers in the NFL. He may feel it’s time for the Giants to step up their effort to pay him what he’s worth, which, judging by the existing contracts of the top players at the position would cost the Giants around $17 million per year.
Giants CEO John Mara has been a staunch advocate for his young star, standing by him through all of his tantrums and hijinks the past three years. He wants to keep OBJ tangled up in blue for the rest of his foreseeable football future.
Fan asks John Mara if #NYG talked long-term deal on @OBJ_3. Not yet, but: "Obviously we want him to be a Giant for the rest of his career."
— Art Stapleton (@art_stapleton) June 6, 2017
With the salary cap rising every year and the Giants looking to cultivate their own culture through younger players now that they’ve steadied the roster with a load of free agents, it’s very possible that Beckham fits into their budget. I personally would like to see more of a commitment from Beckham before I write him a bigger check.
Earlier this year, he tweeted that he was fully committed to helping the Giants win championship and was ready to make sacrifices toward that end. So far, those have been empty promises. If he fails to show at next week’s mandatory minicamp, we’ll know the level of his seriousness.