Former New York Giants wideout Plaxico Burress warns the team about how they’re to handle the extension of Odell Beckham Jr.’s contract.
A big discussion this offseason for the New York Giants has been the structuring of a new contract for star receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Coming off an ankle injury, Beckham is going into the final year of his rookie deal in 2018. A final year in which he’ll only make $8.45 million. However, despite numerous rumors and reports, Beckham will not hold out for a new deal during training camp.
With concerns on and off the field, the Giants still have not given Beckham the money he deserves. Big Blue needs to seal the deal, and one person that agrees is the guy who caught the game-winning touchdown in Super Bowl 42.
Plaxico Burress spoke with NJ Advance Media’s Ryan Dunleavy on this exact situation for the Giants.
“Everybody in the world knows the guy needs to be rewarded,” the retired receiver said. “It’s only a matter of time. Don’t have him disgruntled going into the season, and then you lose him.”
Burress has his own experiences with this type of go-around. Going into the 2008 season, the former Giant, Steeler, and Jet fought with the Giants over a contract extension. He eventually held out during minicamp of that offseason. However, Burress ended up attending training camp late summer. He was thus given a five-year deal shortly before the season opener against the Redskins.
Burress, of course, was released by the team in April of 2009 due to illegally carrying and firing a weapon in a Manhattan nightclub, eventually heading to prison for 20 months in the midst of a successful NFL career.
When it comes to Beckham, Burress feels that he is an exceptional talent. “I love watching him play,” Burress told Dunleavy. “I think he is a generational talent. He has everything that a wide receiver possibly could have.
With an improving offense, including rookie running back Saquon Barkley and dynamic tight end Evan Engram, Beckham could thrive in New York for years to come. Now it’s time for the Giants front office to step up and get the contract extension done.
