GOOD WILL PUNTING
Should he or shouldn’t he? For pure athletic prowess, entertainment value and sheer excitement, yes, definitely yes. Turn Odell Beckham Jr. loose on punt returns because putting the ball in his hands and allowing him to get a head of steam and turn on his jets is a highlight waiting to happen. Seeing Beckham line up as the punt returner is an intriguing development for the Giants, but only to those who do not see Beckham and think of Jason Sehorn. Years ago, Sehorn was a rising star at cornerback for the Giants, and he convinced Jim Fassel to take a look at him on kickoff returns. Fassel turned Sehorn loose in a preseason game, and down went Sehorn with a torn ACL, a knee injury that cost him the entire 1998 season. Sehorn never was the same player after that injury. Beckham has experience returning punts, but as he’s ascended as a receiver, the Giants have looked elsewhere — to Dwayne Harris and with Harris a bit banged up, most recently to Bobby Rainey, until Rainey muffed a punt in the 27-13 victory over the Browns. That was enough for Ben McAdoo, who McAdoo mum, but OBJ could open up Giants’ return game yanked Rainey and inserted Beckham, who should have had a 59-yard return for a touchdown, if not for a holding penalty on Mark Herzlich away from the play.
Beckham was moving at a different speed from anyone else on the field, and as a punt returner, he strikes fear in the punting unit. With the long return called back, Beckham was credited with three returns for 35 yards.
“I think they notice him,” punter Brad Wing said. “Whether it’s scary or not, the fact they notice him is a big deal. Once you’re noticing the returner, then you’re starting to think about them and not yourself. Not only his skill-set is good but also his presence. It’s a big factor.”
Is it worth the risk? The Giants need to be judicious and not overwork Beckham. With him, their offense often cannot get out of its own way and labors to put drives together. No one around the Giants wants to consider the offense without him.
For comparison, the Steelers employ star wide receiver Antonio Brown, who leads the NFL in receptions and is third in receiving yards, as their primary punt returner. However, Brown has brought back just 10 punts all season, limiting his exposure.
Could the Giants use Beckham in a similar fashion?
“That kid, man, I’m not telling anyone anything they don’t know. He’s special. He’s talented. I think he’s the best player in the league. He’s just so dynamic,” Wing said. “For someone who hasn’t done a whole lot of punt returns this year and then comes in, he looks like he’s been doing it for 10 years. It’s so exciting just to have him on your team. I’m glad I don’t have to punt to him.”
On Monday, McAdoo would not tip his hand as to what the immediate future holds for Beckham and punt returns.
“We will get to that when we talk through our gameplan meetings,” McAdoo said. “That’s not something I’m going to be talking about with all of you.”
Asked if punt returners have a greater risk of injury, McAdoo said: “I think every play that they’re out there on the field is a risk.’’