When Odell Beckham Jr. was traded to the Cleveland Browns, New York Giants fans everywhere were devastated. Not only was he on track to be a franchise legend, but OBJ was on a gold jacket territory of his career. Yet Dave Gettleman hardly got enough return on investment for a superstar wideout.
All the Giants got in return was a first and third-round pick in the 2019 NFL Draft and a couple of respectable veterans in Kevin Zeitler and Jabrill Peppers. When you look back at the trade now, New York robbed them because of what Dexter Lawrence became, but at the time, they got fleeced.
The three-time Pro Bowler was 26 when he was traded, and the belief was he hadn't even entered his prime yet. Of course, injuries took its toll and he last just two-and-half seasons in Cleveland before becoming a career journeyman, but he's now back with Big Blue to finish the chapter that he started.
Odell Beckham Jr. confirmed he never wanted to leave the New York Giants
As soon as he returned to East Rutherford, Beckham Jr. set the record straight on the circumstances surrounding his initial exit. At the time, he was believed to have requested a trade which Gettleman granted, but he made it clear to the media that he never wanted to leave the Giants. And he showed a humility we never saw last time around.
"I used to be in here looking at these banners, and all I wanted to do for this place was win," Beckham Jr. told SNY. "I never wanted to leave here. I hate losing...all I ever wanted to do was win. And that's all I want to do now."
OBJ mentioned that he came from a school (LSU) where a loss on Saturday would end your season. After all, the Tigers only lost seven games across his three seasons there, so joining a team who made the playoffs only once in his first five seasons was an adjustment for a young. diva-like WR.
All he wanted to do was see the G-Men consistently make the playoffs, but Gettleman presumably took that as a threat. He made some truly awful Giants' teams watchable, and we were truly robbed of seeing OBJ and Saquon Barkley play together for longer. And I wonder how things would be different if he was never traded.
Not every Giants fan is on board with signing a 33-year-old injury prone journeyman WR, but as a low-stakes camp body, it's worth a shot. Odell Beckham clearly wants to make things right, so hopefully the poetic John Harbaugh reunion doesn't get cut short this summer and we get to finally see him win with this team and usher them into a new era by mentoring youngsters like Malik Nabers.
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