Malik Nabers Injury Fall-out: Is Odell Beckham Jr. Short-Term Giants Fix?

The New York Giants were hit with a brutal blow during their 21-18 win over the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday afternoon.

Wide receiver Malik Nabers suffered an ACL injury after trying to make a contested catch during the second quarter against the Chargers. Nabers will have an MRI on Monday to determine the extent of his injury.

Nabers has been a critical piece of the Giants' offense, hauling in 18 receptions for 271 yards and two touchdowns through four games this season after recording 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns his rookie year.

With Nabers potentially out for the season, the Giants may opt to look outside of the building for options to help replace the lost production, with one option being former Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr.

Beckham is currently a free agent after spending the 2024 season with Miami, where he recorded nine receptions for 55 yards across five games.

Beckham last suited up for the Giants in 2018, where he recorded 77 receptions for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns before being traded to the Browns in the ensuing offseason.

That version of Beckham is long gone, as the 12th-year NFL veteran last recorded over 1,000 yards receiving in a single season with the Browns in 2019 and has dealt with multiple serious injuries since departing the Giants.

Despite the injuries, Beckham has been able to latch on with multiple organizations in the later stages of his career, serving as a consistent pass catcher with big play ability for contenders down the stretch.

Beckham signed with the Rams midseason in 2021 after being cut by the Browns and played in 12 games combined throughout the regular and postseason, hauling in 48 receptions for 593 yards and seven touchdowns, also recording a touchdown catch in the first quarter of Super Bowl LVI, before suffering a torn ACL in the second quarter.

After missing all of 2022 recovering from his ACL injury, Beckham signed with the Ravens in 2023, recording 39 receptions for 599 yards and three touchdowns across 16 games with Baltimore, playing in his most games in a single season with one organization since 2019 with Cleveland.

Beckham was never able to carve out consistent playing time with the Dolphins in 2024, playing a small rotational role before being released in week 15, and since then, he has gone unsigned.

At this stage of Beckham’s career, the odds of you getting anywhere close to Nabers' level of production are slim, and considering the last time he served as a midseason spark was with Baltimore in 2023, there are ultimately safer options in the free agent market with higher upside, especially considering Beckham's previous injury history.

What About Other Options?

Outside of Beckham, there are other options for the Giants to consider if they decide they want to pursue a free agent.

Although Nabers’ exact skillset is irreplaceable, Tyler Boyd is someone who could give the Giants a deep ball threat, as in each season throughout his career, he has recorded a reception of 30 yards or longer and has never had a single season yards per catch average lower than 10.

Boyd last played for Tennessee in 2024, notching 39 receptions for 390 yards across 16 games, and across his career, he has hauled in 552 receptions for 6,390 yards and 31 touchdowns.

Another potential option for the Giants could be former Steelers wide receiver Diontae Johnson, as he has not signed with a team after being cut by the Browns as part of preseason roster cuts.

Where Johnson lacks in size, at only 5-10, he makes up for it in speed, using his burner ability to stretch the field and make plays in space.

Johnson had a breakout campaign with the Steelers in 2021, recording 107 receptions for 1,161 yards and eight touchdowns, but since then, he has struggled to replicate that same level of success. However, he could bring big play potential to the Giants' offense, albeit at an inconsistent rate.

The last option is a familiar one to the Giants, as former Cowboys receiver Michael Gallup is currently a free agent after spending this past preseason with the Commanders, after coming out of a brief retirement.

Gallup spent the first 6 seasons of his career in Dallas from 2018 to 2023, hauling in 266 receptions for 3,744 yards and 12 touchdowns, before being released in March of 2024. After his release, Gallup signed with Las Vegas, where, prior to training camp, he retired.

After coming out of retirement and spending the preseason with Washington, Gallup remains a free agent, and although he may not be the player that averaged 16.8 yards per catch with Dallas in 2019, he could be an option to help the Giants stretch the field.

More New York Giants Coverage

What happens next with the NY Giants? Find out! Follow and like us on Facebook. Visit our YouTube channel for the latest videos. Want to send a question in for our mailbag? You can do so here.