The winding road of Odell Beckham Jr.’s career has led him to where it all began. Eight years after being traded out of the Big Apple, the veteran wide receiver has struck a reunion with the New York Giants, inking a deal with the team on Monday, according to CBS Sports NFL Insider Jonathan Jones. The team has since made the signing official.
This comes after a workout with the franchise earlier in the day and marked the second time this offseason that he worked out for the Giants. This time, it’s resulted in him putting pen to paper on a contract that’ll bring him back to East Rutherford.
Of course, Beckham spent the first five years of his NFL career with the Giants after the franchise selected him with the No. 12 overall pick at the 2014 NFL Draft out of LSU. Instantly, Beckham established himself as one of the most electrifying players in the NFL, notching 1,305 receiving yards in what resulted in an Offensive Rookie of the Year-winning campaign.
Beckham posted three straight seasons of at least 1,300 yards receiving to begin his career and only fell off that stellar pace in 2017 due to injury. He came back in 2018, after signing a five-year, $95 million extension that offseason, and topped 1,000 yards in 12 games played.
The following year, the Giants and Beckham went their separate ways, with New York trading the three-time Pro Bowl wideout to the Cleveland Browns. That began Beckham’s pilgrimage around the league. After two and a half seasons in Cleveland, the pass catcher forced his own release and later signed with the Los Angeles Rams, who went on to win Super Bowl LVI. Beckham began that Super Bowl on a tear, catching a 17-yard touchdown, but suffered a torn ACL later in the contest, which knocked him out of the eventual win.
More recently, Beckham has been a depth piece on various rosters. After not playing in 2022 while rehabbing his knee injury, he signed with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023 and then spent 9 games with the Miami Dolphins in 2024. The 33-year-old did not play in 2025, but was suspended for six games for violating the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.
What does Odell Beckham Jr. have left in the tank?
Giants fans may not fully recognize the wide receiver who was previously with Big Blue in the late 2010s. On top of age, injuries have impacted the latter half of Beckham’s career, which is why he hasn’t been able to make a massive impact at his previous stops and partially why he was on the outside looking in on the league last season.
His most prolific years in the league all came with New York.
| Odell Beckham Jr. by Team | Giants | Any Other Team |
|---|---|---|
| Rec | 390 | 185 |
| Rec yds | 5476 | 2511 |
| Rec TD | 44 | 15 |
| 100-yd games | 24 | 3 |
| Pro Bowls | 3 | 0 |
That said, Beckham may be suited for the role that he’s set to have with the Giants, likely serving as a depth piece. He won’t be leaned on to be the No. 1 option like he was over his first stint, which may allow him to make spot splashes in 2026.
While it was a widely different setting than a regular-season NFL game, Beckham showed us that he still has a knack for tremendous one-handed catches during the Fanatics Flag Football Classic that was played earlier this offseason.
If he can make a couple of plays like that in 2026, this reunion could go swimmingly.
What will Odell Beckham Jr.’s role be with ’26 Giants?
Again, Beckham isn’t going to be the No. 1 option like he was when he first stepped into the league with New York. Realistically, he’s going to be a depth piece for the Giants and will likely have to compete in training camp for a spot on the 53-man roster.
As the depth chart is currently constructed, Malik Nabers (when healthy) is the clear-cut No. 1 target for second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart. After that, it’ll be some combination of Darius Slayton, Calvin Austin III, Darnell Mooney, and rookie Malachi Fields jockeying for targets alongside Beckham. And that’s not even mentioning tight end Isaiah Likely, who signed a three-year, $40 million contract in free agency.
At best, you’re talking about Beckham as possibly the No. 4 or No. 5 target in New York’s offense. Really, he’s a depth piece if the Giants need capable pass catchers, with Nabers recovering from a torn ACL he suffered last season.
Familiarity with John Harbaugh
While Beckham’s reunion with the Giants is naturally garnering the bulk of the attention, it’s also a reunion between Beckham and John Harbaugh. The wideout played under Harbaugh in Baltimore in 2023. In 14 regular-season games played that year, Beckham had 35 catches on 64 targets for 565 yards and three touchdowns. He also caught four passes for 34 yards in the playoffs that year.
This piece of the signing shouldn’t be overlooked. Harbaugh’s familiarity with Beckham was likely the driving force behind this signing, more than nostalgia. If Harbaugh didn’t think Beckham had anything left in the tank after seeing him up close in Baltimore or thought he’d be a locker room distraction with a subdued role in the offense, New York likely would’ve passed on bringing him back. Instead, Harbaugh (we can assume) gave the go-ahead, which is noteworthy.
Busy day for Giants
New York also reportedly signed veteran wideout JuJu Smith-Schuster after a workout on Monday, according to NFL Network. Smith-Schuster becomes the third receiver signed by the team on Monday, joining Beckham Jr. and Braxton Berrios, who will more than likely be the replacement for Gunner Olszewski, who suffered a torn Achilles during OTAs and was placed on injured reserve.
Via an ESPN report, all three receivers were signed to minimum deals and will have to earn a roster spot.
