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Latest on Odell Beckham Jr, Plus a Salary Cap Nuance That Could Be at Play

Beckham's driver claims he's made a decision. Plus the salary cap reason why OBJ is probably hoping to join a team for the playoffs instead of what's left of the season.
Patricia Traina|
Latest on Odell Beckham Jr, Plus a Salary Cap Nuance That Could Be at Play
Latest on Odell Beckham Jr, Plus a Salary Cap Nuance That Could Be at Play

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New York Giants

Is receiver Odell Beckham Jr's career about to come full circle with a return to where it all started?

That could very well be the case if his "official driver," who goes by the social media moniker "Danny Boy Hustle Hard," is to be believed.

Beckham's driver has claimed in an Instagram story that the receiver has made up his mind.

“You people thought that Odell was going to the Cowboys, right?” said Beckham's driver, whose real name is Daniel Chalet, and who claims a celebrity sports client list that includes Giants running back Saquon Barkley and receivers Sterling Shepard and Kenny Golladay.

“Let me tell you people something. I am better than [expletive] Adam Schefter. I am better than [expletive] Jordan Schultz. He is not going to no Cowboys. You want to know where he’s going? Tune the [expletive] in right here.”

Ok, so where is it going to be?

Chalet posted a follow-up video with the "big reveal," which is no longer available but which, according to colleague Mike Fisher at CowboysSI.com, claims that Beckham has picked the Giants.

Beckham, for his part, certainly did little to quell the possibility of his return to the Giants. During an interview that aired on LeBron James’ Thursday Night Football alternate telecast “The Shop,” Beckham said, "I'll say this, but it doesn't mean anything; it's just words, right? I don’t feel like (running back) Saquon Barkley, and I got to do what we were supposed to do."   

Beckham also said during the program that he hasn't “made the decision" and noted that he doesn't see the point in playing in the rest of the regular season.

Beckham, who did not work out for the Giants, Bills, or Cowboys, is likely trying to buy more time for his knee to be able to pass an NFL physical. But there is also a business side to his delaying signing until after the season ends that would benefit whichever team he was to sign with.

According to Article 37, Section 2 of the NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement, postseason pay this year begins at $41,500 for players on teams who have a first-round bye or who are on losing teams in the Wild Card round and $46,500 for those who are on winning teams in the Wild Card round.

Unless a player has a postseason bonus (NLTBE) in his contract, his standard postseason pay per game, which is the equivalent of what his teammates receive, doesn't count toward the salary cap, which means a team could sign him to a postseason contract with an option to sign him to a regular deal the following year.

Such a scenario does come with risks if Beckham were to be injured again, but he doesn't seem concerned.

"I’ve played football for a long time. I’m not saying I couldn’t step in and play [in the] regular season, but I don’t see the point. I really don’t. I’d rather play when that pressure’s on," Beckham said.

Barkley is set to be a free agent after this season, but it's believed that the Giants want to re-sign him and might even have to use the franchise tag to buy time while negotiating what's expected to be a long-term, lucrative deal.

As for Beckham and his desire to skip what's left of the regular season, it's not totally out of the question for him to come in if the Giants make the postseason, collect whatever money is paid out, and then look to sit down and hammer out a new deal with the Giants that would officially kick in next year when the team has a healthier cap situation, and Beckham is further removed from his surgery to where he can work out for teams.

That said, Giants general manager Joe Schoen, when hired, spoke about building the Giants through the draft and supplementing through free agency. Would an investment in Beckham, who would turn 31 by next season and who is coming off two ACL injuries, be a wise choice for a team that is undergoing a transition?

The Giants, remember, have some other sizeable contracts they'll need to address, such as Barkley's, quarterback Daniel Jones's (assuming they want him back), and defensive back Julian Love. They could also consider extending left tackle Andrew Thomas and safety Xavier McKinney after the season when both are eligible.

While that sounds like the Giants could end up zapping their current projected $59 million in cap space in a hurry, the Giants could also pick up some additional breathing room by working out extensions for defensive linemen Dexter Lawrence, who is currently set to play on the fifth-year option, and Leonard Williams.

New York is also expected to part ways with receiver Kenny Golladay. However, that transaction will likely be a post-June 1 move since that would yield much larger savings that the Giants could use to pay their 2023 rookie class while still having money left over to carry them through the summer and into the 2023 season.

If Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll view Beckham as a fit and if Beckham is agreeable to the role he would be asked to play, a reunion with the Giants isn't that far-fetched next year. But as for this year, there are far too many unknown variables, starting with whether the Giants will even be in the postseason.

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Patricia Traina
PATRICIA TRAINA

Patricia Traina has covered the New York Giants for 30+ seasons, and her work has appeared in multiple media outlets, including The Athletic, Forbes, Bleacher Report, and the Sports Illustrated media group. As a credentialed New York Giants press corps member, Patricia has also covered five Super Bowls (three featuring the Giants), the annual NFL draft, and the NFL Scouting Combine. She is the author of The Big 50: The Men and Moments that Made the New York Giants. In addition to her work with New York Giants On SI, Patricia hosts the Locked On Giants podcast. Patricia is also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America and the Football Writers Association of America.

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