Beckham wants to be highest paid player — not just receiver

Odell Beckham Jr. is not going to come cheap.

The Giants know this and no doubt are prepared to make him the highest-paid receiver in the NFL. But that is not going to be good enough for Beckham.

“It’s like the elephant in the room and you don’t want to talk about it,’’ Beckham said in a video posted Thursday on uninterrupted.com. “I’ve gotten to a point in my life where I’m like, there’s no need to not talk about it. I believe that I will be, hopefully not just the highestpaid receiver in the league, but the highest paid, period.”

Giants co-owner John Mara this week told The Post’s Steve Serby contract talks with Beckham will commence “at the appropriate time. I don’t think we have a time frame on it. But we certainly don’t want to see him playing in another uniform.’’

Mara added it is possible contract talks will take place during this season.

“That’s possible, yeah,’’ Mara said. “I wouldn’t have a problem with that occurring. We certainly want to get him signed. Let’s not make it the headline that there’ll be a deal by October or November or something like that because I have no idea. I don’t think we’d be opposed to talking to his agents at some point during the season, yes.’’

Beckham will play this season for $1.8 million, far below market value for a player of his stature. The Giants picked up his fifthyear option for 2018, when Beckham is scheduled to make $8.4 million.

The NFL’s highest-paid player is Raiders quarterback Derek Carr, who this offseason signed a five-year deal worth $125 million. The Steelers’ Antonio Brown is the league’s highest-paid receiver, averaging $17 million per year on his fouryear, $68 million contract.

Beckham did not participate in any of the 10 organized team activity practices in the spring, opting to work out in Los Angeles with a personal trainer, Jamal Liggin.

General manager Jerry Reese, asked about when he might open up negotiations on a new deal for Beckham, said, “We’re gonna keep all of our options open with respect to all contracts.’’

Reese said goodbye to the 2016 season by stating his star receiver needed to “grow up’’ in order to truly maximize his immense potential. The Giants reported to training camp Thursday and Reese said he has yet to speak with Beckham about the upcoming season.

“Odell’s been on vacation, I’ve been on vacation, so we haven’t talked,’’ Reese said.

Asked what his message would be, Reese said: “Just play good football, like you always do, and be a great teammate. That’s all we need to say to Odell. Which he always does. He’ll play well, he’ll be a great teammate.’’

Reese said he will sit down and chat with “a bunch of players’’ before the start of the season. Will one of them be Beckham?

“He could be,’’ Reese said, smiling.

Beckham spoke to Uninterrupted — a video platform for players founded by LeBron James — on July 24, admitting football is no longer a game to him.

“Four or five years ago, I told my college coach, ‘I fear the day that they make football not what I love to do anymore,’ but it’s my job,’’ Beckham said. “Now it’s slowly starting to become my job. It’s not just what I love to do anymore. Like I said, it’s been made clear it’s a business. It was some tough lines to walk.’’

Beckham also said despite all his production on the field in his first three seasons with the Giants, at times it feels as if he cannot satisfy the expectations heaped on him.

“I’ve gotten to a spot now where I feel like the things that I used to do aren’t good enough,’’ he said.