Odell Beckham Jr. made the New York Giants’ 53-man roster submitted Sunday, a significant milestone in the wide receiver's comeback at age 33 with the team he started his NFL career with.
Beckham got better as training camp progressed and showed in exhibition play that he could still produce. He made seven catches for 76 yards over three games, including three for 53 in the preseason finale against the Jets on Friday night.
“I feel like I gave everything I had,” Beckham said afterward. “I’m just truly grateful for that opportunity, that experience. It was a tough couple years, taking a step back and deciding, do you go forward with life? Are you done? The mental battles that we go through and just push through, persevere and overcome adversity.”
Coach John Harbaugh said Beckham had a good camp, with the final week of practices being his best.
“He’s looked good and made numerous plays,” Harbaugh said.
Beckham was out of football last season, including time spent serving a six-game suspension for failing a performance-enhancing drug test. His last game was Dec. 8, 2024, with Miami, when he played nine games for the Dolphins and had nine catches for 55 yards before getting waived on Dec. 13.
After not catching on anywhere and serving the suspension, Beckham began ramping back up this past spring. He worked out for the Giants in April, signed in June and acknowledged after one of his first offseason workouts that he would have to earn a roster spot.
Asked after the Jets game what he would mean, Beckham said, “Everything.”
“Seeing my son at the game, yelling, just looking at me, and he told one of his friends: ‘Yeah, people always want to take a picture of my dad. He must be the best,’” Beckham said. “And it just made me laugh because I just want to show him. I want to lead the way. I want to be a good example for him.”
A season-ending knee injury to Calvin Austin opened the door for Beckham and return specialist Braxton Berrios, who is being released but is expected to be brought back before the season opener Sept. 13 against Dallas. If he plays that night, it will be Beckham's first home game in a Giants uniform since Dec. 2, 2018.
Drafted 12th by the Giants in 2014, Beckham spent his first five professional seasons with them before getting traded to Cleveland in 2019. He eclipsed 1,000 yards receiving four times with New York.
After going through camp wearing No. 3, Beckham is also expected to get his familiar No. 13 back after wideout Jalin Hyatt was cut following parts of three seasons with zero touchdown catches.
Giants set their roster
Hyatt, a third-round selection in 2023, was not the only high draft pick from recent years released. Offensive lineman Evan Neal, taken seventh overall in 2022 and surprisingly re-signed for a new coaching staff to make its own determination, did not make the roster even after fellow guards Daniel Faalele and Josh Ezeudu got traded.
Veteran Darius Slayton joined Beckham, Malik Nabers, Darnell Mooney and rookie Malachi Fields as the five receivers who made it.
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AP Pro Football Writer Dennis Waszak Jr. contributed to this report.
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