Giants’ Beckham receives extension
Lucrative contract puts him on top
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — Odell Beckham Jr. of the New York Giants is now the NFL’s highest-paid wide receiver.
The Giants announced Monday they have signed Beckham to a five-year contract extension that will keep the three-time Pro Bowler with the franchise for anothersix seasons.
“We got him until he’s 108,” general manager Dave Gettleman quipped. “I never worried whether or not we would get it done. I’m pleased, because the litmus test for a contract is that neither side is ticked off before the ink can dry, and neither side should be ticked off. It’s a very fair deal.”
The signing comes less than two weeks before the season opener against Jacksonville Sept. 9 at MetLife Stadium.
While terms were not disclosed, the deal with the 25year-old, 2014 first-rounder is worth about $95 million with $65million guaranteed.
Beckham’s $19 million average salary would top the $17 million earned by Antonio Brown of the Steelers. His $95 million deal also tops the$82.5 million deal receiver Mike Evans has with the TampaBay Buccaneers.
Beckham, who missed most of the 2017 season with a broken left ankle, was scheduled to make $8.4 million in the final year of his rookie contract.
Beckham had said early in training camp that he was taking a risk practicing withouta new contract. It paid off.
“Honestly, I don’t even know how to explain it,” Beckham said in a statement. “I don’t know if it’s a relief, I don’t know — it’s a combination of everything. You’ve worked all your life to get to this point and it’s finally here.”
Beckham felt getting a new deal would be just a matterof time.
“I knew that it would get done, it just was a matter of when and I’m just so happy thatit is finally done now,” he said.
In his first four seasons, Beckham has caught 313 passes for 4,424 yards and 38 touchdowns.
Beckham has not played in any of the Giants’ three preseason games as new coach Pat Shurmur has taken a very cautious approach with the catalyst to his offense coming off his first major professional injury. It is unlikely that he will play in the preseason finale Thursday against the New England Patriots so his first game action since being hurt on Oct. 8 will be against the JaguarsSept. 9 at home.
A lot has been written about Beckham’s contract situation since the end of last season. There were reports the Giants were involved in trade talks with the Rams andmany wondered whether co-owners John Mara and Steve Tisch wanted to spend a lot of money on a player who also created some disturbing news off the field.