Odell Beckham Jr.’s improbable comeback ended without a catch, leaving the former Cleveland Browns star searching for another chance to keep his career alive.
The New York Giants are releasing the 33-year-old receiver, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo and Ian Rapoport reported September 29. Beckham appeared in three games and received just one target during his second stint with the franchise.
Beckham earned a spot on the Giants’ initial 53-man roster after spending the entire 2025 season out of football. But making the team never translated into a meaningful role. New York is moving forward with Braxton Berrios, whose ability to handle returns gave him another way to contribute after he exhausted his practice squad elevations.
The reunion offered Beckham an opportunity to finish where he became one of the NFL’s biggest stars. He earned three consecutive Pro Bowl selections to start his career and totaled 390 catches for 5,476 yards and 44 touchdowns during his first five seasons with New York. Those receiving totals went unchanged during his return.
Retirement is a possibility, but Beckham is still looking for work. NFL insider Jordan Schultz reported that he plans to pursue opportunities elsewhere instead of joining the Giants’ practice squad. Whether another team can offer him a larger role remains uncertain.
Odell Beckham’s Browns Exit Led to Super Bowl Run
Beckham’s career lost momentum in Cleveland, where a blockbuster trade never produced the sustained success the Browns envisioned.
He caught 74 passes for 1,035 yards and four touchdowns in 2019, his first season after the trade from New York. It remains his last 1,000-yard season. A torn ACL ended his 2020 campaign after seven games, and his return the following year brought more frustration.
The relationship unraveled publicly after Beckham’s father shared a video highlighting plays when his son was open but did not receive a pass from Baker Mayfield. Cleveland excused Beckham from practice and eventually released him in November 2021. He finished his Browns tenure with 114 catches for 1,586 yards and seven receiving touchdowns in 29 games.
The Los Angeles Rams gave him a fresh start, and Beckham delivered. He caught five touchdowns in eight regular-season games and added nine catches for 113 yards in the NFC championship victory over the San Francisco 49ers.
He then scored the opening touchdown of Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals. But another torn ACL ended his night before halftime. Beckham finished with two catches for 52 yards and a touchdown as the Rams went on to win the championship.
That postseason resurgence never became a lasting comeback. Beckham missed the 2022 season, returned with 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns for the Baltimore Ravens in 2023, then managed just nine catches for 55 yards with the Miami Dolphins in 2024.
Browns Building Around KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston
Cleveland’s receiving corps is moving in a younger direction, with rookies KC Concepcion and Denzel Boston already handling prominent roles.
The Browns selected Concepcion 24th overall and Boston 39th in April, making an early investment in two receivers they could develop together.
Boston has provided the bigger plays, catching nine passes for a team-leading 195 yards and two touchdowns through three games. He scored in each of his first two appearances, including a 55-yard touchdown in the victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He added two catches for 41 yards against Carolina.
Concepcion has 12 catches for 80 yards, including six receptions against Tampa Bay. His production remains modest, but the opportunities have been there. He received nine targets against the Panthers, finishing with two catches for nine yards.
Jerry Jeudy’s involvement has moved in the opposite direction. He had no official targets in the 21-18 win over Carolina, although he drew a pass interference penalty. His playing time dipped to 51% of the offensive snaps, behind both rookies.
Jeudy has just two catches for 26 yards this season and none since the opener. With Boston and Concepcion taking on substantial work, Cleveland already has a veteran receiver struggling to find his place in the passing game.
Ex-Browns Star Facing Retirement After Release