Although he did not completely rule out the possibility of dealing his star receiver, first-year New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman downplayed the idea of trading Odell Beckham Jr. amidst a turbulent offseason.
‘You don’t quit on talent,’ Gettleman told reporters three times Tuesday at the NFL’s annual meetings in Orlando.
Beckham is in the midst of a tumultuous offseason that included a video appearing to show him holding a brown cigarette or cigar during a trip overseas that caught the attention of the Giants and the NFL. Next to him was a woman holding what looked to be a credit card in her hand, with a white substance in front of her.
Beckham, who has a base salary of $8.5 million in 2018, is rumored to be seeking the NFL’s most lucrative deal, but Giants coach Pat Shurmur, does not expect a hold out
The seven-second video that began circulating earlier this month on social media while Beckham was in Europe on a Nike-sponsored trip. (Laura Cuenca, the 21-year-old model who was seen with Beckham in the video, claims he was not holding a blunt, but a piece of pizza crust and denied that he used any drugs in her presence).
The New York Daily News reported that Beckham, who has only one year left on his rookie contract, was interested in being traded to the Los Angeles Rams, but again, Gettleman seemed to dismiss that report on Tuesday.
‘Neither Odell nor his agent have contacted us regarding either report,’ Gettleman said, as quoted by ESPN. ‘So to be clear: I’m not going to respond to questions about either report, and as I stated earlier, every decision I make is going to be in the best interest of the New York football Giants.’
Giants general manager Dave Gettleman (right) is not ready to give up on Beckham yet
New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr, 25, was caught on camera holding what looked like a brown cigarette with a woman who had a white substance in front of her
Beckham, who has a base salary of $8.5 million in 2018, is rumored to be seeking the NFL’s most lucrative deal, but the team’s new coach, Pat Shurmur, does not expect the All-Pro to hold out during the off-season.
Speaking with reporters Tuesday, Shurmur said he expects Beckham to attend offseason workouts in April. NFL Network reported the 25-year-old will hold out if he doesn’t receive a new contract before the season begins.
Giants owner John Mara said that while Beckham might not be on the trading block, he is not an ‘untouchable’
‘All reports are he will be ready to go as we get going,’ Shurmur said. ‘There are steps he has to take. All indications are he will be back healthy by the time we start playing in September.’
Beckham was limited to four games last season because of ankle injuries. The wideout underwent surgery on his fractured left ankle in October and said at the time he expects to be back ‘better than ever’ in 2018.
Shurmur did acknowledge the existence of the seven-second video.
‘I think it’s important that you get all the information,” Shurmur said of the video. ‘Who knows how that video appeared? We all understand that there are certain ways we need to act and certain things we don’t want to be doing.”
Giants owner John Mara said that while Beckham might not be on the trading block, he is not an ‘untouchable.’
‘I’m looking forward to working with him,” said Shurmur, who met with Beckham in Los Angeles earlier this offseason. ‘It’s important as coaches and players and anybody who is working together to visit and get a chance to know one another. I really don’t think you can know somebody by seeing reports, reading reports, hearing what people think and say. I think it’s important, especially in the player-coach relationship, to get to know him.”
Over 47 career NFL games, Beckham has reeled in 313 passes for 4,424 yards and 38 touchdowns.
First-year Giants coach Pat Shurmur (right) does not think Beckham will hold out this summer
Laura Cuenca, 21, claims to be the woman who took the video of Beckham in the hotel room