Beckham says missing OTAs had nothing to do with contract

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. » Odell Beckham Jr. says his decision to skip voluntary workouts had nothing to do with his contract. The New York Giants star receiver simply wanted to train on his own, reflect on life and take time to “grow and mature.”

The three-time Pro Bowl receiver joined teammates Tuesday for the start of a mandatory three-day minicamp. He saw limited action in the 1-hour, 40-minute workout and dropped one deep ball.

From the time he hit the field, it seemed his every move was studied by reporters, photographers and video crews. He was relaxed after practice and hedged several times when asked about his contract.

Beckham is one of the NFL’s top receivers and he will earn $1.8 million in this his fourth season, much less than some receivers who are far less productive. The Giants picked up the option on his fifth year for $8.4 million in 2018.

“I have seen a holdout and all that stuff and I have really never seen it work, so that was never in my mind to: ‘I’m not going to go to OTAs to get a new contract,”’ Beckham said. “I don’t really think that proves a point in my opinion.

“So I was out there (on the West Coast) really taking the time for myself to reflect on life and values and what’s really, really important,” he said. “Like I said to grow and mature.”

General manager Jerry Reese questioned Beckham’s maturity after the Giants (11-6) lost 38-13 in Green Bay in an NFC wild-card game.

There was good reason for that. Beckham took an ill-advised one-day vacation to Florida in the week leading to the Giants’ first playoff game since 2011. He played poorly in the and afterward punched a hole in a wall near the locker room.

The warning from Reese led many to believe Beckham would toe the line this season. But his absence from the OTAs and his decision to stay on the West Coast — where he occasionally worked with Hall of Famer Cris Carter — left many wondering about the team’s leading receiver in each of his three seasons.

Beckham said season ended.

“It’s like LeBron losing the (NBA) Finals,” Beckham said. “You look back on it and see what you could have done better and how you could have handled the situation better or whatever the case may be. It’s all about life. It’s a learning process and you just have to take it with a grain of salt and grow from it. That’s what I have been doing.” he reflected on how

Redskins name Williams senior VP of player personnel

last ASHBURN, VA. » Once a Super Bowl MVP, Doug Williams waited his entire post-playing career to run a professional team.

“You want this day to come,” he said. “When you get up every morning, you hope it’ll come.”

It’s here. The former quarterback is now in charge of the Washington Redskins as senior vice president of player personnel. He’s running the show, but Williams made it very clear he’s not the general manager.

“We had a general manager — it didn’t work out that well,” Williams said Tuesday, referring to the two-year tenure of Scot McCloughan, who was fired in March. “My job is to control (my) hallway. And I think if we do a good job, no matter what happens, we all get credit for what this football team does.”

Steelers’ Bell a no-show at minicamp

PITTSBURGH » Pittsburgh Steelers All-Pro running back Le’Veon Bell skipped the first day of the team’s minicamp on Tuesday.

Bell is recovering from offseason groin surgery and has yet to sign his one-year tender after the Steelers placed a franchise tag on him in March.

Coach Mike Tomlin called it a “waste time” to discuss Bell’s absence.

The team wraps up minicamp on Thursday. of