Odell Beckham Jr. brushed off contract talk first day of Giants training camp
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. wants to get paid, no different than anyone who collects a paycheck for their services. His video for the Uninterrupted made headlines Thursday when he said he wants to be the highest paid player in the National Football League.
On Friday, OBJ took to the field for the first training camp session with his Giants teammates. The same could not be said of Pittsburgh Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell and Los Angeles Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald.
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Both Bell and Donald aren’t at their respective teams’ training camps, reportedly because of contract disputes. Beckham, however, wants to take a different approach when it comes that big NFL payday.
“I don’t have time (to hold out),” Beckham said. “I’m 24 years old. I’m trying to play football until I can’t play football anymore. I can’t get caught up taking days and not playing.”
Beckham wouldn’t compare his situation to Bell’s.
“Le’Veon is in a different situation. He’s been doing this. He’s a running back. Their career expectancy is a little shorter due to stats and all that. Le’Veon is a guy who has proved himself time and time again…I hope Le’Veon gets the highest contract a running back has ever had in the history of the entire NFL.”
Beckham is scheduled to make $1.8 million this season, the final year of his rookie contract. He will make more than $10 million in endorsements, including more than $5 million from a record-setting deal with Nike. This certainly helps Beckham digest the fact that he’s being underpaid by the New York Football Giants.
“It definitely made me comfortable,” Beckham said of his deal of Nike, the largest ever for an NFL player. “It definitely was helpful at the right time. I’ve got a family to take care of.”
Beckham also recognizes that he’s not going to get the lucrative deal from his primary employer by not showing up to training camp.
“I’m not here to hold out. I’m here to practice,” he said, “I’m here to get better each and every day. I feel I have stuff I can improve on, stuff I need to work on, and really stuff I’m willing to work on.”
Beckham is entering his fourth NFL season. The Giants exercised their fifth-year option this offseason but did not enter into negotiations for an extension. Giants co-owner John Mara said there is no timetable for getting a deal done and said Beckham will be paid when the time is right.
“He deserves to get paid,” Mara said. “And we are going to pay him…I just don’t feel like there is any need to rush into it. But he’s going to end up getting paid at some point.”
Mara also said he doesn’t want to see Beckham playing in another uniform.
OBJ also discussed watching the deals NBA players received in free agency and wanting to change things for NFL players. He also admitted not knowing much about the NFL contract process.
When asked if the desire for a record-setting contract is something he discussed with his agent, Beckham just brushed it off. He cited his desire to concentrate on training camp after missing most of the Giants’ offseason workouts.
“I really just came here to play football and be the very (best) that I can be this year,” he said. “I have to go out another year and prove myself. That is just what I have to do. That’s the position I’m in. That’s all I can do is go out and play. I can’t sit there and worry about getting a contract or not getting a contract.”
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