On the surface, the New York Giants‘ interest in signing Odell Beckham Jr. is baffling.
But John Harbaugh has his reasons, and the veteran head coach believes the former Giants wide receiver, who has been out of football for more than a full year, can help the young club.
The Giants are reportedly close to re-signing Beckham, who they selected with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft. He has not played since the 2024 season, when he had just nine receptions for the Miami Dolphins, but has previously played for Harbaugh with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023.
Odell Beckham is Being Signed as a Mentor to Young Receivers
Sure, the Giants need a wide receiver. But their interest in Beckham centers around his potential ability to mentor some of the Giants’ young wideouts.
If that sounds wild to Giants fans who watched the first Beckham era with Big Blue, it reportedly doesn’t seem strange to Harbaugh.
“The Giants are banking on a cast of very young players on offense, and some, like receiver Malik Nabers, who might be a little outspoken or need some help adjusting to the unique glare and scrutiny that comes from playing in The Big Apple,” wrote NFL insider Jason La Canfora for Sports Boom. “Beckham lived through all of that, at an iconic level, becoming an immediate cultural phenomenon quickly after being drafted by New York in 2014, and Harbaugh prizes that kind of veteran experience and life experience in his locker room.
La Canfora cited multiple unnamed sources who noticed Harbaugh’s penchant for signing valuable vets, like Beckham, in Baltimore.
“Look how many receivers they brought into that locker room when John was there,” La Canfora cited a longtime personnel executive. “He loves [Beckham]. This is about more than football.”
Odell Beckham Jr. is Open to Helping the Giants off the Field
Beckham was run out of the Giants facility due to his perceived selfish demeanor. Yet, according to La Canfora, he is comfortable at returning to New York and playing with the Giants on a limited basis to mentor young players like Nabers, Jaxson Dart, Cam Skattebo and others.
“After not playing last year to try to get his body right … Beckham is at ease with a more limited role in New York’s offense,” La Canfora reported. “According to league sources, [Beckham] has an understanding of what he has to offer at this stage of his career.”
Part of why Beckham is beloved in the Greater New York area is the enormous chip on his shoulder he plays with. So aside from mentoring the Giants’ young players, Beckham is also motivated to show what he still has in the tank at 33 years old.
“The opportunity to put on a uniform again is driving him, and this would be a special reunion,” La Canfora wrote. “Nothing is finalized, but there is reason to believe it will happen and that Harbaugh will be hiring the former great for his locker room presence and mentorship as well as ability to still catch a fade down the sidelines.”
Insider Sheds Light on John Harbaugh’s Interest in OBJ Signing