Odell Beckham's return to game action might not come until September. Or so tweets the Pro Bowl wide receiver.
In response to a fan tweet Saturday that begged him not to play in the 2018 preseason, Beckham virtually nodded in agreement.
Beckham missed the majority of last season with a fractured ankle, but first suffered an injury scare in the second week of the 2017 preseason when, as a defenseless receiver, he was hit low by Browns cornerback Briean Boddy-Calhoun. Sidelined by the ankle injury, Beckham did not play the rest of the preseason and missed New York's season opener. He was lost for the season only four weeks later.
In addition to preventing any further injury and avoiding bad preseason juju, Beckham might consider sitting out the 2018 preseason for contract-related reasons.
Going all the way back to last offseason, OBJ has suggested that he should be one of the highest-paid players in the league. With his rookie contract set to expire after the 2018 season, now is the time the Giants to work out a sensible deal that satisfies Beckham's demands. OBJ is reportedly looking for an average salary in the $20 million range, which would make him the highest-paid wide receiver in the NFL.
If there's no pact by training camp, Beckham could consider holding out through the preseason. Hence "zero" snaps.
In the week leading up the Super Bowl, Beckham made the rounds and expressed optimism that a deal could get done soon. "It's that time just to get it over with," OBJ said on one occasion. "I really want to do it so I can move past it."
Giants brass is similarly eager, but no overly so, to work something out. Giants co-owner John Mara said in January that the team would "get something done at the appropriate time."
With a new coach and staff -- and potentially, a young quarterback -- in place in 2018, Beckham might be swayed to take some reps in the preseason. But OBJ's tweet indicates the Giants giant would not be a fan of the idea, for one reason or another.
