If anyone would have asked a Giants fan at the start of the year if they thought Odell Beckham Jr. would have been considering a return to the Giants, they may have said the person asking was crazy. But on Thursday the former Giants draft pick was back in East Rutherford for an official visit with the club.
While there remains doubt in the minds of some that a reunion would make sense and others — like Von Miller — who are pushing their own narrative surrounding where Beckham Jr. may end up, it remains a testament to what the Giants have done this season. New York is very much in the playoff picture and they hope to solidify that over the coming weeks with three big games ahead of them starting with Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders.
And it goes to show that there is belief beyond just inside the Giants locker room that this team can make some noise in the postseason. Beckham Jr. is looking to sign with a team that he believes would be a playoff contender and the fact that he is making the trip to 1925 Giants Drive certainly signals that he is at least intrigued enough to see what they have to say.
“Shoot, I would love to have him here,” Sterling Shepard told the New York Post about Beckham Jr. “When I came in as a rookie, he was one of the first guys to really embrace me and bring me in underneath his wing and let me know the game and how everything goes on and off the field. I’ll be forever grateful for that part of it, and just became my brother over the years, like one of my main dogs. Like he sacrificed a lot to be wherever I need him to be and vice versa.
“He knows we want him here. I don’t need to really say much. I want him to do what’s best for him.”
General manager Joe Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll will ultimately need to do what’s best for the club as well and just because the wideout is visiting the Giants doesn’t mean that it will end up with him in a uniform with NY on it. The Giants receiving group is stretched thin due to injuries, Schoen has been smart in his approach to plan for the future as much as the present.
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The Giants remained quiet at the trade deadline and they’ll do their due diligence when it comes to Beckham Jr, especially with him coming off such a severe injury as a torn ACL. Even at half of what he was last season for the Los Angeles Rams, Beckham Jr. would be an upgrade for the Giants.
With visits to Buffalo on Friday and Dallas on Monday, there is still a lot that could happen, but the fact the coveted free agent is even considering the Giants is a shock that not too many people saw coming.