Although reports indicate Isaiah Likely’s rise is pushing Odell Beckham Jr. and the New York Giants‘ wide receivers further down the depth chart, the veteran wideout has come to life as of late. His numbers through the NFL’s first week of training camp are nothing to write home about, but the coaching staff has taken notice.
Even if the yards and catches aren’t there yet, Beckham Jr. is getting open, and he’s now being given the opportunity to compete with the Giants‘ starters. Beckham hopes this is the first of many promotions, including being named to the 53-man roster, in his second stint in East Rutherford. In West Virginia, so far, so good. But there’s still a long road to the 2026 NFL season.
“[Beckham Jr.] worked with the starting rotation of Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin,” Connor Hughes of SNY reported about New York’s Tuesday practice. “He’s been getting open in camp. Just not getting thrown the ball. Clearly coaches rewarding that. Odell caught two (of four targets) on Tuesday.”
The G-Men will still need to see more from Odell—and from the entire offense—as recent practices have reportedly been “sloppy,” raising concerns for Harbaugh to address. For the time being, the Giants’ head coach remains calm despite the offensive struggles. However, that patience will only last so long if Matt Nagy’s unit can’t get its act together.
Odell Beckham Jr. is finding his footing in training camp.
An asterisk on Odell’s promotion
While the promotion to the starting wide receiver trio is noteworthy, it should be taken with a grain of salt. Not only did Harbaugh make little of it by saying it was part of a player rotation, but Malik Nabers also didn’t participate in 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 drills or situational drives. Had he done so, there’s reason to believe Beckham Jr. would have been the odd man out.
Darius Slayton is also sidelined, meaning there’s another player who could be ahead of Odell on the depth chart. A fully healthy receiving corps would likely feature Nabers and Slayton on the outside, with Mooney or Austin making the most sense in the slot. Likely—whom the Giants see as Dart’s safety net in 2026—could also line up in the slot, with Theo Johnson serving as the in-line tight end.
Beckham Jr. making progress
Regardless, Beckham Jr. has to play the hand he’s dealt. If players are out or limited by injuries, he has to take advantage of those opportunities to prove himself. So far, he’s doing just that and has already taken a big step in the right direction.
