If, like me, you’ve spent the past few days rolling your eyes at the thought of seeing Odell Beckham Jr. in a New York Giants jersey again, let it be known that John Harbaugh isn’t opposed to the idea.
Speaking at the NFL league meetings, Harbaugh addressed the possibility that Beckham, a 2014 first-round pick, could join the Giants for a second stint. Beckham has publicly said he wants to rejoin the G-Men, and standout receiver Malik Nabers declared on Instagram that he’d love to play alongside the three-time Pro Bowler.
Beckham played for Harbaugh in Baltimore in 2023, though he last suited up for the Dolphins in late 2024. The veteran receiver did not play last year and served a six-game suspension midway through the season following a positive PED test.
“We’ve maintained a really great relationship,” Harbaugh said. “He’s one of my very favorite people in the world. It’s not like you don’t talk to guys on things like that. And certainly we have.”
Giants general manager Joe Schoen also didn’t shoot down the possibility of signing Beckham, a move that makes no sense on paper and even less sense in reality.
There is no justifiable reason for the Giants to sign Odell Beckham Jr.
If this were 1983 and the Giants wanted to bring Beckham home as a means of selling tickets and jerseys, I could understand such a move. At that point, you’re arguably putting the brand above the on-field product, and you wouldn’t have been the first — nor the last — to make money.
But in 2026, when seemingly every team has a 10-digit value, the merchandise argument falls well short. Beckham missed the entire 2025 season and hasn’t been a steady contributor since 2023. What is the point in a rebuilding team signing a 33-year-old who, at best, is a No. 3 wideout?
At least when Harbaugh and the Ravens signed DeAndre Hopkins last offseason, Hopkins was only two years removed from a 1,000-yard season. Baltimore could justify adding a 33-year-old, former All-Pro wideout to a team it believed would contend for a Super Bowl title.
We can’t say the same about Beckham. All that he would likely give the Giants is a whiff of nostalgia about the last years of the Eli Manning era, which ended with another rebuild.
Should any teams sign Odell Beckham Jr.? Well…
Here’s my issue with Beckham, at least as it pertains to him signing anytime soon. If a team wanted him, they’d have added him down the stretch last year, even if it was only to the practice squad. Instead of wondering how Beckham could fit into the Giants’ offense, someone should ask Harbaugh why Baltimore didn’t bring Beckham in last December.
Remember, the Giants signed Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III this offseason, and Nabers could be ready for training camp after a knee injury. If Harbaugh and Schoen want another receiver, then they’re better off using one of their five Day 3 draft picks to add young talent.
Young players like Nabers probably love Beckham because they grew up watching him. That doesn’t mean the end result in 2026 would look anything like how it did even in 2021. It’s like loving a band during their prime 20 years ago, and seeing a YouTube video of them performing on a recent tour. Suddenly, you realize that the current quality isn’t worth investing in, and you’re better off with the memories.
If Beckham doesn’t sign anywhere and instead opts to retire, he’ll ride off into the sunset with 575 catches, 7,987 yards, and 59 touchdowns over 10 seasons with five teams. He trails only Amani Toomer on the Giants’ all-time leading receiving yards list.