Odell Beckham Jr. reportedly made an appearance at the New York Giants training facility on Monday and fans continue to lose their minds. While it may have been to check in on wide receiver Sterling Shepard who is dealing with a torn ACL, it indeed is enough to throw people into a frenzy.
Beckham himself is still recovering from a torn ACL and is not yet ready to return to the field. But there is speculation that he could be back by November. And with the Giants currently sitting at 3-1 and in need of help at the wide receiver position, a reunion between both sides could potentially be in the card down the road.
Here are three reasons why a reunion between OBJ and the Giants makes sense:
3. It would signify a change of times within the franchise
The end of Beckham’s tenure with the Giants left a bad taste in many fans’ mouths. After five seasons of stardom, the stud receiver was traded to the Cleveland Browns. During his time with the Giants, Beckham put together one of the most prolific resumes in NFL history. In 59 games, he recorded 390 receptions for 5,476 receiving yards and 44 receiving touchdowns.
Now the regime that sent him away is gone and the new front office has been more willing to take chances. General manager Joe Schoen has seemed to be a man of the people, but bringing Beckham back would prove that this is a true change of times in the building.
Even after being away for three entire seasons, Beckham is still a fan favorite. With his connection with Saquon Barkley and others in East Rutherford, it is guaranteed that he would be welcomed back with open arms.
2. Giants are in need of WR help
Throughout the offseason, the wide receiver position was a talking point for this unit. With Kadarius Toney heading into his second season, the team adding Wan’Dale Robinson in the draft, and the return of Shepard, Kenny Golladay, and Darius Slayton, expectations were at an all-time high.
Now through the first four games, this unit is in a very different place. It is safe to say that they will still be struggling a month from now when Beckham makes his long-awaited return to the field.
Injuries have plagued this unit. Shepard is out for the rest of the season and his time as a Giant may very well be over. Robinson has yet to return since injuring his knee in Week 1. Toney has played just a handful of offensive snaps this season and has struggled to return. And Golladay, who is now dealing with a knee injury, has struggled to be effective even when on the field.
The plethora of injuries has led receivers such as David Sills and Richie James to play massive roles within this offense. Any sort of help at the position would be an upgrade. And Beckham can clearly still be an elite talent when on the field. Last season Beckham played a significant role in the Los Angeles Rams winning the Super Bowl.
Upon his move to the Rams last season, he played in eight games. He recorded 27 receptions for 305 receiving yards and five touchdowns. These numbers would have rivaled or surpassed any of the Giants top pass-catchers last season.
1. Odell Beckham Jr. would bring a veteran presence
The Giants offense, specifically the wide receiver room, is headlined by young players. With Shepard out and Golladay seemingly in and out of the offense, there is a lack of veteran leadership in the unit.
Now, at nearly 30 years old, Beckham could bring a sense of leadership to the locker room. He is far from the player that he was when he was sent away from the team in 2018, but that doesn’t mean that he couldn’t still play a role somewhere in this franchise.
Upon his return, Beckham will be appearing in his ninth NFL season. And he has steadily been one of the most scrutinized players in the league, regardless of how well he has played. Even when he has put up elite numbers, he has faced ridicule. He was a star in the heart of New York.
He has shown time and time again that the outside noise doesn’t get to him. With Toney, who has taken on much of the criticism that Beckham used to face, being just 23 years old, having a veteran such as Beckham next to him could play a massive role in his career. Not only would he be learning from one of the best to play the position, but he could learn even more ways to handle the scrutiny that he will face while playing in New York.
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