Odell Beckham Jr. may be changing the Giants’ plans with his latest training camp development
The veteran wide receiver has earned more reps with Giants’ starters as training camp opportunity grows.
Odell Beckham Jr. is climbing the New York Giants depth chart at training camp, earning increased reps with the first-team offense after impressing coaches with his route running alongside the second unit. The veteran wide receiver, now 33 years old, is getting a legitimate look as a contributor in the Giants’ passing game behind No. 1 receiver Malik Nabers.
Ryan Dunleavy from the New York Post reported Tuesday that Beckham has been moved up to work with the starters. Beckham was consistently getting open while practicing with the twos, and the coaching staff wants to see what he can produce against higher-level competition at this stage of his career.
Talent was never the question
Giants fans know better than anyone that talent has never been an issue for Beckham. The injuries, particularly to his knee, derailed his career to a certain extent, but the skills that made him one of the NFL’s most electric receivers remain visible on the practice field. Beckham will turn 34 in November and hasn’t carried a significant workload in years.
His last productive season came in 2023, when he played 14 games for the Baltimore Ravens and posted 565 receiving yards with three touchdowns. In 2024, Beckham signed with the Miami Dolphins but barely saw the field. He spent 2025 out of the league entirely before New York gave him another shot.
Opportunity created by circumstance
The Giants have obvious questions in their pass-catching group behind Nabers. Tight end Isaiah Likely is expected to serve as the second option in the passing game, but the wide receiver room needs more answers. Beckham could fill a situational role, especially now that wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and third-round rookie Malachi Fields have been held out of team drills because of injuries.
That absence creates a window for Beckham to prove he still belongs. He is at a point in his career where a bottom-of-the-roster role with minimal playing time doesn’t make much sense. But if he can contribute as a role player who adds value to the passing attack, the math changes.
Head coach John Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Matt Nagy want to evaluate whether Beckham can deliver production for the offense and help quarterback Jaxson Dart. If he does, keeping him on the 53-man roster becomes a reasonable consideration. The deal is cheap, and Beckham carries the kind of name recognition and fan support that adds value off the field as well.
