Odell Beckham has not played a snap of football since the 2024 season, but that could change shortly. A first-round pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, there was a time when the LSU product appeared destined to be one of the greatest players of his generation. Beckham took the league by storm, recording 91 receptions for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns in just 12 games as a rookie. He followed that up by recording 1,450 yards and 1,367 yards in 2015 and 2016, respectively. However, the wheels soon fell off the wagon.
Injuries limited him to just four games in 2017, and the Giants traded Odell Beckham to the Cleveland Browns in 2019. The wideout struggled to establish a connection with Baker Mayfield and, while he looked like his old self during a brief stint with the Los Angeles Rams, tore his ACL in the Super Bowl. This forced him to miss the 2022 season, and he tried to re-establish himself with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023. He ultimately finished with just 35 receptions for 565 yards and three touchdowns and, following an uneventful nine-game stint with the Miami Dolphins in 2024, has not played in the league since.
However, the wide receiver has been linked to a New York Giants reunion for a few months now, and a signing is all the more likely following the bad news surrounding Malik Nabers and his recovery from a torn ACL.
Odell Beckham Could Sign With Giants After Malik Nabers Injury Update
Malik Nabers tore his ACL in Week 4 of the 2025 season, and a normal timeline recovery would mean that he’d be able to suit up for Week 1 of the 2026 season. Unfortunately, that may not be the case. Noted NFL insider Adam Schefter recently tweeted out concern about Nabers’ recovery, and he’s not the only notable reporter sounding the alarm. During a recent segment of SportsCenter, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said that New York is uncertain of his Week 1 status.
“I’m told he’s been a fixture in the building. He’s trying to rehab that [knee],” Fowler said. “The Giants don’t quite know yet whether he’s going to be ready for training camp. The hope is still Week 1, but that’s not a guarantee.”
Nabers is easily the best wide receiver on the Giants, and is probably the team’s best pass-catcher since Odell Beckham. The former sixth-overall pick took the league by storm as a rookie, 109 receptions for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns on 170 targets despite wildly inconsistent quarterback play. Somebody must step up if he ends up missing time, especially since New York lost Wan’Dale Robinson to the Tennessee Titans.
What to Expect
It should go without saying that Odell Beckham will not be able to singlehandedly replace Malik Nabers in the lineup. However, with that disclaimer out of the way, the wide receiver could help this team finally make a run at the postseason. With Nabers and Robinson gone, the New York Giants’ wide receiver depth chart is one of the weakest in football. Darius Slayton and Darnell Mooney are nothing more than unremarkable depth options at this stage in their respective careers, and they’re far and away the two most proven pass-catchers on the roster.
Quarterback Jaxson Dart showed some promise as a rookie, but no young quarterback could succeed in such a poor environment. Even at his current age, Odell Beckham would probably be at least the third-best receiver on the roster, which should give him a roster spot. Additionally, head coach John Harbaugh should be familiar with his current skillset, as the two joined forces for the Baltimore Ravens in 2023.
Odell Beckham shouldn’t cost much, and the Giants need another wide receiver. If he has nothing left in his tank, the team can cut him with no harm done. However, if he has a little more to give, he could be a valuable asset for a team with serious uncertainty at the wide receiver position.
Main Photo: Kirby Lee – Imagn Images
