What’s the point of the New York Giants reuniting with wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.?
It’s not 2015 anymore, when Beckham logged a career-high 1,450 receiving yards in 15 games with the Giants and Sam Smith won the Grammy for Best New Artist. Like British singer Smith, the WR hasn’t produced many hits since.
Someone should tell new Giants head coach John Harbaugh. He’s the one who seems interested in signing free-agent WR Beckham.
John Harbaugh discusses potential Odell Beckham Jr. reunion
At the league meeting in Phoenix on Monday, Harbaugh said, “If Odell’s an option, we’ll be looking at him for sure.” The coach added that he and the WR grew close when he played for the Baltimore Ravens during the 2023 season.
“He and I do talk, and we do text, we’ve maintained a really great relationship,” Harbaugh said, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post. “He’s one of my very favorite people in the world. So, it’s not like you don’t talk to guys about things like that. And we certainly have.”
Why signing Odell Beckham Jr. still wouldn’t do much for Giants
Harbaugh may like Beckham, who last suited up for the Miami Dolphins in 2024. But the coach should remember the WR didn’t do much when he played for him. In 14 games with Baltimore in 2023, he had 565 receiving yards on 64 targets.
That’s become par for the course for Beckham since the Giants traded him to the Cleveland Browns after the 2018 season. 2014 No. 12 pick Beckham had 5,476 receiving yards in his first five seasons with New York and earned two second-team All-Pro nods. Over his past five seasons, he’s had 2,511 receiving yards.
Injuries have played a factor in Beckham’s decline. He tore his ACL while playing for the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LVI. The wideout subsequently missed the 2022 season. He also tore his ACL during the 2020 season. Beckham’s medical history should give New York pause.
New York must add more offensive firepower for quarterback Jaxson Dart, who’s entering his second season. The Giants lost WR Wan’Dale Robinson, who led the team in receiving yards (1,014) in 2025, to the Tennessee Titans in free agency.
The Giants still have star WR Malik Nabers, who’s entering Year 3, but it became apparent the team lacks depth when he tore his ACL last season. WR Darius Slayton ranked second on the team in receiving yards (538) in 2025.
Still, the Giants should grab a WR in the 2026 NFL Draft (scheduled April 23-25 in Pittsburgh) instead. Tankathon’s latest mock draft has New York selecting Texas A&M Aggies WR KC Concepcion (6-foot, 196 pounds) with pick No. 37 in the second round. He won the 2025 Paul Hornung Award as the nation’s most versatile player.
Yes, Beckham became one of the best wideouts in franchise history in New York, but those days are gone. He’s not a WR1 anymore, let alone a WR2 or WR3.