It looks like Odell talks have begun
For once, the action on the practice field wasn’t the main attraction at Giants training camp. That honor belonged to the VIP area, where Odell Beckham Jr.’s agent, Zeke Sandhu, and Big Blue vice president of football operations/assistant general manager Kevin Abrams were talking.
That sight came hours after ESPN reported negotiations had begun this week between the superstar wide receiver’s representatives and the team on a new long-term deal that would likely make him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.
Abrams, who handles the team’s contract negotiations, and Sandhu spent most of Thursday’s 2-hour and 10-minute workout talking. Beckham’s mother, Heather Van Norman, was also on hand for practice.
Beckham is entering the final year of his five-year rookie contract. He is scheduled to make $8.46 million this season and said last summer that he wanted to be the highest-paid player in football. The Giants own his contractual rights through 2021 if they use a franchise tag on him. Mike Evans of the Buccaneers recently received the most guaranteed money ($55 million) for a receiver while Antonio Brown of the Steelers has the highest annual salary ($17 million) of a player at the position.
Co-owner John Mara said last week negotiations would start “sooner rather than later” and was expecting a big year from the three-time Pro Bowler.
“We feel very good about where he is,” Mara said.
Coming off a fractured left ankle that limited him to four games last season, Beckham hasn’t spoken at length to reporters since October. He has shown no signs of being limited by the ankle, taking part fully in training camp.
“He’s very engaged, he’s very energetic and he practices very hard,” Pat Shurmur said.
And soon, if these talks continue to progress, he’ll be very, very rich.