As the saga of the Giants and wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. continues to eat the offseason, the next chapter will unfold tomorrow when the Giants begin their offseason conditioning program.
And Beckham’s apparently going to be there.
According to Kimberly Jones of the NFL Network, Beckham is expected to be on hand when the Giants open the first day of work of the Pat Shurmur administration.
Shurmur said during the owners meetings that’s what he anticipated to happen, but so much was said about Beckham that week it’s hard to keep the stories straight.
The Giants were tired of his distractions, unless they weren’t. They refused to declare him untoucable, unless they didn’t. And in a case of NFL Network on NFL Network crime, there were reports he wasn’t stepping on the field without a contract extension.
Technically, that might still be true as the first phase of offseason programs include strength and conditioning and rehab work. They won’t actually step onto a field for two weeks, when players can begin individual instruction.
But while the semantics will have to be sorted out, the reality is he wants a new contract, and the Giants may or may be inclined to give him one. But showing up and playing nice can’t hurt.