Getty OBJ's mentor has discussed the Giants' chances of reuniting with the WR.
Odell Beckham Jr.’s potential return to the New York Giants is no longer merely the stuff dreams are made of. It’s beginning to look like a concrete reality after the free-agent wide receiver’s high school coach endorsed the idea of one of his former star pupils landing in New York and shunning the advances of several other NFL teams, including the Dallas Cowboys.
Nelson Stewart once oversaw Beckham’s development into a dynamic wideout at Isidore Newman School in New Orleans. Stewart told Ian O’Connor of the New York Daily Post: “If I’m a betting man right now. I’d flip a coin between New York and Dallas. It’s tight. But of all the teams I’ve heard about, the one that really resonates a little bit more is New York.”
Stewart, who was once invited to the Pro Bowl by Beckham, revealed “Odell loved his time in New York.” The coach also added “to me New York is a win-win.”
Stewart’s ties to the Giants are strong. He’s currently coaching Arch Manning, nephew of a certain Eli Manning, himself a Newman graduate, who would go on to guide Big Blue to victories in Super Bowl XLII and XLVI.
Manning got the better of the New England Patriots and Tom Brady in both games, and O’Connor thinks reuniting with Beckham would improve the Giants chances of upsetting TB12 again. As things stand, the 7-2 Giants are in line for a Wild-Card game on the road against Brady’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the playoffs.
Giants Have Inside Track, Despite Strong Competition for Beckham
The Cowboys have been anything but bashful about their desire to add Beckham to the roster. Owner Jerry Jones told 105.3 The Fan (h/t Jon Machota of The Athletic): “I know the Cowboys star on that helmet when he puts it on could look pretty good.”
Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on @1053thefan on Odell Beckham Jr.: “Odell is someone that we have all the appreciation in the world for what he is as a competitor. I know the Cowboys star on that helmet when he puts it on could look pretty good.”
Jones’ son, Cowboys’ executive vice president Stephen Jones Jr. has told SiriusXM NFL Radio the same thing:
“We’ll just roll up our sleeves and see if there is an opportunity for us to put a star on Odell’s helmet.”
@DallasCowboys Executive VP Stephen Jones on the possibility of signing WR Odell Beckham Jr.
👇AUDIO👇 | #DallasCowboys | #Cowboys
The Cowboys are pulling out all the stops for Beckham, but the Giants have hardly been shy about expressing their own interest. Star running back Saquon Barkley openly courted the idea of Beckham returning after the Giants beat the Houston Texans 24-16 in Week 10.
Barkley told reporters (h/t Tyler Henry of Giants Wire): Personally, I think it would be a great story to come back to a place that you were at before and continue to help build success and continue to come here with the right mindset and be a leader and be the type of player he can be for his team. Like I said, he’s a special player. He can help any team
Those comments doubled down on similar sentiments expressed by general manager Joe Schoen. He called Beckham “a guy we would consider and talk to, when he’s healthy,” per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan.
The reference to Beckham’s health involves the state of his recovery from the torn ACL he suffered in Super Bowl LVI as a member of the Los Angeles Rams. Beckham caught the opening touchdown of the game, and the Rams went on to win 23-20, giving the three-time Pro-Bowler his first Lombardi Trophy.
OBJ’S FIRST CATCH IS A TOUCHDOWN. #RamsHouse @OBJ
📺: #SBLVI on NBC
📱: t.co/K02y40b5Nu
That’s significant because it means Beckham may not prioritize joining a contender with stronger championship credentials this season than the Giants. There are a few of those in the mix, with O’Connor also mentioning the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers as suitors.
At 30, Beckham no longer needs to chase a title. He can focus on signing where he’d feel most comfortable.
The Giants, who drafted him 12th overall in 2014, offer the best spot on those terms, with the added bonus of Schoen and head coach Brian Daboll’s team being a winner ahead of schedule.
These Giants are right in the thick of the playoff hunt in the NFC. Adding Beckham could be the clincher to not only qualify, but also cause an upset or two in the posteason.
Brady-Giants III Looming?
A third tussle with Brady in the playoffs looks like a genuine possibility. The Giants are currently the fifth seed in the conference, while the Bucs lead the NFC South.
As O’Connor put it, “Would they have a better shot at wrecking yet another Brady postseason with Beckham, or without him? That one’s easier than the ball Kenny Golladay just dropped against Houston.”
There’s an obvious need for Beckham in a wide receiver corps lacking elite talent. Injuries have taken their toll on the veteran, but Beckham proved with the Rams he still knows how to get open and make big plays.
Some big-play potential on the outside, added to Barkley’s running and a stingy defense, would make the Giants a tricky opponent in the postseason. That would be bad news for Brady, who still wishes he’d gotten the better of Manning and the Giants to complete an unbeaten season for the 2007 Patriots:
If you were Tom Brady, would you trade in two of your seven 🏆s in exchange for completing a perfect 19-0 season and beating the Giants in Super Bowl XLII? 🤔 t.co/T21E7GF0nu
There’s plenty of football still to be played during this season, but bringing Beckham back into the fold would only boost the Giants’ chances of ruining Brady’s world again in the playoffs.