Giants Release Odell Beckham Jr. After 3 Games in 2026 Season

The New York Giants are releasing wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. ahead of their Week 4 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals.

Beckham was the star receiver for the Giants from 2014 to 2018, but he is no longer a player of that caliber. He only played in 20 snaps in the first three weeks of the season and did not record a catch.

The 33-year-old earned a roster spot this offseason, but he didn't have much of an impact on the offense. In his first stint with New York, he played well, winning the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award and earning three Pro Bowl selections. In those five years, he had 390 receptions for 5,476 yards and 44 touchdowns.

With Beckham released and starting quarterback Jaxson Dart sidelined by a season-ending injury, the Giants will lean more on their run game, led by running back Cam Skattebo.

Through three games, Skattebo rushed for 177 yards and a touchdown on 50 carries. The 24-year-old is a powerful runner, but New York will need more out of him and the run game if they are going to win games.

While the Giants will lean more on the run, they will still need to be effective in the passing attack. New York started Jameis Winston in Week 3, but they could mull over their starting quarterback after acquiring JJ McCarthy in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings.

Winston did enough for the Giants to secure the win and improve to 2-1 in Week 3, but he completed only 14 of 22 passes for 118 yards. 

McCarthy doesn't have a ton of NFL experience, but he appeared in 10 games in the 2025 season, completing 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions.

Between McCarthy and Winston, New York will need to figure out who can give them a better chance of winning games, as they are still in the race to earn a playoff spot, while the rest of the NFC East has struggled.

In the passing game, the Giants will need to lean on star wide receiver Malik Nabers as well as tight end Isaiah Likely. Nabers has just 12 receptions for 96 yards through three games, but should be a star wideout. Likely has been a quality weapon with 15 receptions for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

Beckham will look to join another roster and continue his playing career, while New York will look to win games despite Dart being out for the year.