Jun 14, 2026 11:00 AM

New York Giants head coach John Harbaugh has one big concern for Odell Beckham Jr.

The New York Giants announced a flurry of wide receiver signings earlier this month, as they added Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster and Braxton Berrios all at the same time.

The chances of all three veterans making the Giants' roster seem rather slim, but it's very likely that at least one of them will qualify.

Will it be Beckham?

The 33-year-old is back for his second stint in New York after spending the first five years of his career with the Giants, making three Pro Bowls along the way.

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Things are quite different now, though.

Beckham is no longer the explosive, dynamic pass-catcher who racked up over 1,300 yards in each of his first three seasons in the Big Apple. In fact, he wasn't even on an NFL roster last year.

But because John Harbaugh developed a strong relationship with Beckham the one year he coached in Baltimore in 2023, he decided to bring the LSU product aboard.

New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images.

However, there is no guarantee that Beckham will make the team, and the wide out revealed that was Harbaugh's biggest concern for him.

"Coach [Harbaugh] and I talked about that. I think that was one of his fears," Beckham said, via ESPN's Jordan Raanan. "He was like, 'I love you so much, I've got so much respect for you. I don't want to bring you here and have to cut you,' or whatever."

Beckham last played in the NFL in 2024, when he appeared in nine games for the Miami Dolphins. He logged nine catches for 55 yards before being released that December, just before the Dolphins headed to the playoffs.

Since being traded away from the Giants in March 2019, Beckham has recorded just one 1,000-yard campaign, which came during his debut campaign with the Cleveland Browns following the trade. He has posted 500 yards only twice since.

New York's wide receiver room already includes Malik Nabers, Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, Calvin Austin III and rookie Malachi Fields, but with Nabers' health up in the air, the Giants decided to bring in some more reinforcements.

If Nabers ends up sidelined to begin the 2026 campaign, Beckham could have a chance to be on the field Week 1 against the Dallas Cowboys, although you would have to imagine that his role would be very limited.

We'll see if Beckham ends up impressing New York's coaching staff in training camp.

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