Odell Beckham Jr. didn't want to set foot on the field until he got a new contract. He won't have to.
The New York Giants signed Beckham to a five-year, $95 million contract extension, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport reported Monday, per sources informed of the deal. He receives the highest ever fully guaranteed amount for a receiver at $41 million with $65 million in total guarantees, per Rapoport. The extension also averages $20 million over the first three years, Rapoport added.
Rapoport and NFL Network's Kimberly Jones first reported the news of a deal for Beckham. The team later made the deal official.
"It was just a time of patience and waiting and I knew that it would get done, it just was a matter of when and I'm just so happy that it is finally done now," Beckham said according to the team's website.
Antonio Brown's $17 million per year average and Mike Evans' $55 million in total guaranteed money were the top benchmarks at the receiver position. Beckham bested both.
OBJ isn't making quarterback money, but came pretty darn close. His guaranteed money sits behind only Matt Ryan ($94.5 million) and Kirk Cousins ($84 million), per Over The Cap. The $18 million per year in base average of new money sits below only Von Miller ($19.08 million) among non-quarterbacks.
The 25-year-old Beckham was entering the fifth and final year of his rookie contract, with a base salary of $8.4 million.
Beckham, coming off a season-ending ankle injury, has been deemed healthy this offseason, with the Giants targeting Week 1 to unleash their star receiver. Now he'll have a new contract to boot.
Since bursting onto the scene as a rookie, OBJ has displayed the game-changing talent to tilt the field whenever he plays. A tantalizing combination of speed, route running acumen, jump-ball ability, and sticky hands, Beckham can make even the best defensive back's head spin.
The three-time Pro Bowler has caught 313 passes for 4,424 yards and 38 touchdowns in 47 games over four seasons.
Per NFL Research, Beckham has averaged more receiving yards per game in his first four seasons than any other player in NFL history (min. 5 games): Beckham, 94.1 YPG; Julio Jones, 88.4; Randy Moss, 84.3; Anquan Boldin, 82.2; Jerry Rice, 81.4. Beckham's 94.1 receiving YPG average is the 2nd-highest for a career in NFL history (min. 20 games), behind only Jones.
OBJ is the only player in NFL history to start a career with three straight seasons of 90-plus receptions and 1,300-plus receiving yards.
Beckham is one of eight players in NFL history with 300-plus receptions, 4,000 receiving yards, and 30-plus receiving touchdowns over their first four NFL seasons. The Giants wideout, however, reached the marks in 13 fewer games than any other player. Others: Marvin Harrison, Larry Fitzgerald, A.J. Green, Mike Evans, Keyshawn Johnson, Andre Rison, Randy Moss.
Beckham's worth to the Giants was underscored by his absence in 2017. After OBJ's injury ended his season after just four games, New York's offense was a ship with no mainsail. Sans Beckham's ability to single-handedly turn simple slant catches into big-play scores, the Eli Manning-led passing game became one of the least-efficient attacks in the NFL last year.
The Giants offense has averaged almost six points fewer per game without Beckham since he entered the NFL in 2014. New York has a 5-12 record in games without the dynamic wideout.
Beckham's big payday brings the narrative full-circle this offseason.
The Giants listened to trade offers for the star receiver earlier this offseason, with the team's brass seemingly open to shipping out its best player.
The trade talk quieted as Beckham, instead of holding out or throwing tantrums, reported for each stage of offseason workouts without incident, endearing himself to the new coaching staff and front office.
While he hasn't participated in any preseason action, Beckham remains on track to open the season 100 percent. He did take part in joint practices with the Detroit Lions before the second preseason tilt, allaying any fears Big Blue might have about the star receiver.
Negotiations toward a new deal seemed to make hay in recent weeks, with OBJ seeking to top the pay scale for pass-catchers. With his massive payday, Beckham can now focus on tearing up NFC East defenses once again.
