OBJ wants to be at forefront of higher NFL salaries
EAST RUTHERFORD » Odell Beckham Jr. does not regret announcing his desire to be the NFL’s highestpaid player. The star wide receiver says he never regrets anything in life, and he saw no reason to second-guess the timing of his declaration in a video by UNINTERRUPTED hours after the Giants reported to training camp Thursday.
“Everything’s a distraction that I do, so speaking doesn’t really matter,” Beckham said Friday at the Giants’ training facility. “Anything that goes on is going to be a distraction.”
A relaxed and honest Beckham opened up about the controversy behind a podium for 11 minutes. His overriding message was that this is about being a poster boy for advancing the league’s pay scales, which pale in comparison to the exorbitant salaries of the NBA and MLB, especially in regards to guaranteed money.
Beckham is trying to show his unselfishness through his actions as well. He reported to camp on time and is practicing, after all. Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald, whom ESPN reported Friday is holding out from camp in an ongoing contract dispute, is not.
“This isn’t for me. This isn’t for Odell Beckham,” Beckham said. “This is for everybody in the league, people who deserve it. You sit there and you watch the people in the NBA and it’s crazy. Being realistic, it’s crazy what they’re getting. And there’s people in the NFL who deserve that.
“I just want to be, if i can be, one of the forefronts for it and help push the league, the game that way because I feel the players deserve it. I feel like we go through a lot, we put ourselves through a lot — mentally, physically, emotionally.”
Beckham, 24, is entering the final season of his fouryear rookie deal signed in May of 2014. He is slated to make $1.8 million this season — less than 42 other wide receivers. The Giants exercised their club option for him next season, when he would be paid close to $8.4 million if he does receive a new deal before then.
Beckham is the only receiver in NFL history to record at least 90 catches, 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns in each of his first three seasons.
“He deserves to get paid. We’re going to pay him,” Giants co-owner John Mara said. “It’s just a question of when we enter into the contract, and I don’t have a timetable on it right now. I just don’t think there’s any need to rush into it. He’s going to end up getting paid at some point.”
Mara added that it is possible Beckham could have a new contract by the time next year’s training camp rolls around.
According to NFL.com, quarterbacks are the 15 wealthiest players. So is it realistic for a receiver to become the league’s highest-paid player? Beckham said the logistics aren’t of his concern.
He also admitted the five-year, $29 million Nike endorsement deal he signed this offseason has eased his patience.
“It’s not really up to me. All I can do is do what I do on the field, control the things I can control, and that’s not one of them,” Beckham said. “I really just came here to play football and, like I said, be the very best that I can be this year. So if I have to go out another year and prove myself, that’s what I have to do.”
Quarterback Eli Manning, the Giants’ highestpaid player at $13 million, said after Friday’s practice that he didn’t see the three-minute UNINTERRUPTED video.
“It doesn’t bother me at all,” Manning said. “I don’t get involved in other people’s contracts. Whenever that comes up, I hope he gets a good one.”
Head coach Ben McAdoo is only concerned with how Beckham looks on the field. To that end, the Giants’ star lightning rod continues to hold up his end of the bargain.
“He’s one of those guys who looks like he could roll out of bed and run a 4.3,” McAdoo said. “He’s in tremendous condition.”