The New York Giants worked out Odell Beckham Jr. for a second time this offseason today, and they have decided to sign the 33-year-old receiver. New York also signed veteran receiver and return specialist Braxton Berrios to a one-year deal.
The moves come just days after kick returner Gunner Olszewski suffered a torn Achilles during OTAs. Moreover, Malik Nabers’ status for the season opener is uncertain, and Darius Slayton is sidelined following core muscle surgery.
Odell Beckham Jr.’s Return to the Giants Sparks Reactions
The NFL world wasted no time reacting to Beckham’s return to New York, and had different views on the Giants’ decision:
“Well, this should be interesting,” Cowboys analyst RJ Ochoa said on X.
There it is.
Odell Beckham Jr. is back#Giants
Can he make the 53-man team? Can they handle the circus?
Trades one—year into his $90M extension https://t.co/weWNluAXfN
— Ryan Dunleavy (@rydunleavy) June 1, 2026
“You can always come home. The Giants are signing WR Odell Beckham Jr. today after a workout… He’s back!” NFL insider Jonathan Jones said on X.
“He’s back,” wrote former NFL quarterback Kurt Benkert in excitement.
“It’s a reunion: The Giants are signing WR Odell Beckham Jr., per source. The second workout is a charm,” Giants reporter Jordan Raanan wrote on X. “Twelve years after he was drafted, OBJ returns to New York. He desperately wanted a return.”
My understanding is Odell Beckham Jr. had to earn and prove his way onto the Giants’ roster, and by all accounts he crushed both of his workouts with the team.
OBJ and John Harbaugh have remained close, and once everything checked out, it was time to bring him back where he… https://t.co/CdZybHDlUr
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) June 1, 2026
“Let’s gooooo!!! Odell’s veteran presence in the locker room and ability to advise this next generation of polarizing Giants players is more meaningful than any touchdown he might catch this season,” Emmanuel Acho said.
JP Acosta compared Beckham’s current version to Shaq’s time with the Boston Celtics at the end of his career and shared a GIF featuring top players like Cristiano Ronaldo and Thierry Henry when they moved to teams at the end of their careers.
https://t.co/Ttz37hyzuf pic.twitter.com/n8m52SYmmq
— JP Acosta (@acosta32_jp) June 1, 2026
Expecting Beckham to still contribute at a high level will be a mistake by the fans. Since tearing his ACL during Super Bowl 56 with the Los Angeles Rams, the star wideout has been a diminished version of himself.
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He caught 35 passes for 565 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023, then managed just nine receptions for 55 yards in nine games with the Miami Dolphins before being waived in December 2024. He didn’t play at all in 2025 after accepting a six-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy.
According to PFSN’s WR Impact Metric, Beckham has been eligible for ranking in only three seasons since 2019, and here are his rankings:
- 2019: 76.6 impact score, ranked 39th in the league.
- 2021: 71.3 impact score, ranked 71st in the league.
- 2023: 77.0 impact score, ranked 41st in the league.
However, New York isn’t asking Beckham to be WR1. Nabers, whenever he returns to full health, owns that role. Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III were brought in during free agency to provide speed and depth, and third-round pick Malachi Fields, along with Slayton, will be the leading wideouts for the Giants.
Beckham’s value here is less about production and more about presence. He knows what it means to play at MetLife Stadium and has an existing relationship with head coach John Harbaugh from their 2023 season together in Baltimore. He can serve as a veteran bridge between a young quarterback in Jaxson Dart and a receiver room still finding its identity.
It will be interesting to see how Beckham looks when minicamp opens on June 8. For a franchise building around Dart, Nabers, and Harbaugh’s vision, the last thing the Giants need is a sideshow. But if Beckham can accept a reduced role and help this young team grow, the homecoming could be the kind of ending both sides have wanted for years.
