Odell Beckham Jr. just signed a 5-year, $90 million extension with the New York Giants, and may not be playing out the rest of his current rookie contract, which will pay him $5.46 million for 2018.
Beckham has opened up the age-old “chicken or the egg” argument, but in terms of an NFL locker room, it has become “toxic or a cancer.”
For the second straight game, Beckham walked off the field prior to the end of the first half. Last week, Beckham left the field with the Giants down 20-13 to the Carolina Panthers, where New York lost 33-31. Last night, Beckham’s Giants were down 24-6 to the defending-champion Philadelphia Eagles, and again Beckham walked to the locker room prior to time expiring.
Beckham could also be seen headbutting a cooling fan on the Giants’ sideline at one point.
OBJ claimed he was dehydrated, which was defended by Giants’ head coach Pat Shurmur. The reason was that Beckham needed an IV, and returned to the locker room, knowing the Giants would not regain possession before the end of the half.
How nice it is to see Shurmur and Beckham getting along for a change.
Through six games, “Big Blue” has the league’s worst record at 1-5. Beckham hs 45 catches for 506 yards, but only one touchdown. The 45 catches are fourth-best in the league, and the yardage puts him fifth. All this from a receiver who criticized his 37-year-old, two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback, Eli Manning just a week ago.
Beckham’s displeasure over the lack of targets he felt he was getting from Manning was visible in an ESPN interview, which resulted in a fine from the Giants. Shurmur stated the issues with Beckham were “Finito...done,” in a sound-byte which has gone viral with most major sports outlets across the country in only a few days.
The amount of the fine by the Giants was not disclosed, but completely unsurprising from the star receiver. Since being drafted in 2015, Beckham has been fined by the NFL 10 times, totalling $169,017. The fines range from excessive celebration, to abuse of officials. Many of us also forget the fight in his rookie year with then-Carolina Panthers’ defensive back Josh Norman, which netted an ejection, and a one-game suspension the following week.
Manning is not getting any younger, and the Giants apparently seem more than content to ride a horse who is already set for the glue factory. Manning’s 1,662 passing yards are fourth-best in the NFL, but his six touchdowns are seventh-worst among qualifying quarterbacks. All the rookies taken in the top 5 of April’s NFL Draft have more touchdown passes than Manning, with the exception of Cleveland’s Baker Mayfield, who has only played 2 ½ games thus far.
Being sacked a league-high 20 times is not allowing Manning to stay at his best, either. Maybe this is why Shurmur could be seen saying “Throw the ball” into his headset during last night’s game. The Giants can either suffer through the rest of the season with Manning, or turn their offense over to Alex Tanney, who has just one NFL appearance, and that was in relief for the Tennessee Titans in 2015.
So Beckham is unhappy, Manning is (essentially) expired, Shurmur is almost more upset than “Get off my lawn” guy, and second-overall pick Saquon Barkley is in danger of being burned out. Despite second in the NFL in rushing, the idea of Tanney being in command of Shurmur’s system would likely result in rookie-season regression, rather than a sophomore slump.
Of course, this is all assuming Shurmur is back for a second season in the Meadowlands.
-JC24