A STYLES CLASH
Odell's absence at OTAs works against Giants culture
WHEN running back Paul Perkins dropped a sure touchdown pass Thursday afternoon during team drills at the Giants’ practice facility, defensive tackle Damon “Snacks” Harrison raised his hands in the air to celebrate.
It was all in fun. Harrison greeted Perkins with a hug and a slap on the helmet as everyone else laughed. As much as learning the offensive and defensive playbooks are a focal point of offseason training activities, so is building the kind of camaraderie and unity that can last throughout a long NFL season.
That’s what Odell Beckham Jr. is missing as he skipped the voluntary practice sessions for another week. The gifted wide receiver was among a handful of players who weren’t there Thursday, though Beckham’s absence is the most glaring because he’s the best and most volatile player on the team.
The Giants can do nothing because OTAs are considered voluntary in the NFL’s collective bargaining agreement, though the unspoken truth is everyone is expected to offer some sort of attendance.
Giants coach Ben McAdoo already has grown weary of addressing Beckham’s or anyone else’s absence.
“We did the attendance song and dance last week,” he said tersely. “Let’s skip that this week.”
Skipping OTAs might seem minor, but given his brief history of unpredictability, it’s not a stretch to say Beckham is continually challenging the culture of a franchise built on tradition, professionalism and limited distractions. The Giants put the old in old-school football and dealing with Beckham is beginning to test that reputation.
Whether he was punching a kicking net on the sidelines or punching a wall after dropping a crucial pass in a playoff loss at Green Bay, Beckham has acted beyond the control of the Giants and not showing up for OTAs is just another example of him cutting at the heart of what the fran- chise has been about.
McAdoo defended the value of OTAs after a two-hour practice Thursday, saying, “It’s about teaching and learning and seeing guys grow.” He later said his players “are working well together. That’s what this time of year is about. It’s about learning and fixing mistakes afterwards.”
The Giants have had their share of characters, none bigger than Lawrence Taylor. But Taylor won championships. Beckham hasn’t won a thing.
Among those who did show up Thursday were Jason Pierre-Paul, Harrison and quarterback Eli Manning. They all could have worked out on their own somewhere else and stayed in great shape, as Beckham insists he’s doing. But they were here, working with their teammates, getting ready for the upcoming season, which carries high expectations.
You would think Beckham would want to be here coming off a playoff loss in which he turned in a disappointing performance. You would think he would want to build a rapport with Brandon Marshall and help teach Evan Engram how to be a Giant. That’s what a team leader would be doing.
The Giants always have done things a certain way and most players that don’t conform eventually wear out their welcome. Tight end Jeremy Shockey skipped his share of OTAs and wound up leaving the franchise as a player who didn’t quite fulfill his potential. Plaxico Burress didn’t have the best reputation when he came to the Giants, but he helped win a Super Bowl before sabotaging a chance for a repeat by shooting himself in the leg. Beckham might turn out to be an all-time great. But he’s putting tremendous pressure on himself entering the 2017 season. His performance in the playoffs was bad enough, now any muscle pull during training camp or tweak of his ankle will be scrutinized and his overall behavior will be under an even bigger microscope. It also sends the wrong message. If other players see Beckham skipping OTAs, they will invent reasons to skip, too. How’s that going to make the Giants a better team?