The New York Giants are trading Odell Beckham Jr., and keeping Eli Manning, so what exactly is the plan?
After passing on a quarterback with the second overall pick last year, the New York Giants signed wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to a five-year, $90 million contract extension last summer. Now, before that deal even starts, Beckham is on his way to the Cleveland Browns for safety Jabrill Peppers along with first and third-round picks in next month’s draft.
Beckham has missed 16 games over the last two seasons, but he was still very productive in 12 games last season (77 catches for 1,052 yards, six touchdowns). General manager David Gettleman said he didn’t extend Beckham just to trade him, but there were indications head coach Pat Shurmur did not appreciate some of Beckham’s antics.
The Giants will get a second chance to draft a quarterback this year, with the No. 6 overall pick. But they’re committed to Eli Manning, with Gettleman most recently saying “the Chiefs model worked really well” in regard to drafting Patrick Mahomes and having him sit as a rookie behind Alex Smith.
The only problem with that plan is there is no Mahomes in this year’s draft class, and Manning has not even been as good as Smith was in quite a while.
Manning set a career-high for completion percentage (66 percent) last year, but the eye test has shown a cooked quarterback for about three seasons. If nothing else, trading Beckham hurts the plan to get one more marginally effective season out if Manning.
Gettleman: We didn’t sign Odell to trade him.
— New York Giants (@Giants) January 2, 2019
Much as the Steelers did in sending Antonio Brown to the Raiders, the Giants are absorbing significant dead money by trading Beckham.
The #Giants will carry $16 million in dead money on their 2019 salary cap for the deal they did a little over 6 months ago with Odell Beckham Jr., who got a $20M signing bonus. They'll gain $5M in cap space.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 13, 2019
The Giants and Browns have already done business this offseason, with a trade to send defensive end Olivier Vernon and a draft pick to Cleveland for guard Kevin Zeitler and a draft pick. Landon Collins has also headed to the division rival Washington Redskins in free agency, with Peppers now as the obvious replacement (and downgrade) at free safety.
The Giants now own two of the first 17 picks in next month’s draft, which positions them to move up if they want to. So that’s something to latch onto as a Giants fan.
The #Giants now own the Nos. 6 and 17 picks in the NFL Draft ... ammo to move up even higher, if needed, to target Eli Manning's successor as the franchise QB.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) March 13, 2019
But not even The Killers could put on a Mr. Brightside face after this trade. This is a tough time to be a Giants fan as the organization continues to look inept building around Manning and trading away a future Hall of Famer.
At least, they have Saquon Barkley, their face of the franchise, but needless to say, Giants fans are distraught over this move.
What in the world are @Giants thinking? Why does a team EVA trade a transcendent player in height of his career? Guys like @obj come around once in a generation... kudos 2 @Browns 4 realizing that & making deal to get him! Can’t wait to watch Clev play - let’s get season started!
— Kurt Warner (@kurt13warner) March 13, 2019
Imagine passing up the opportunity to draft a stud QB #2 overall to pair & grow with Odell & instead trading Odell to grow with Baker on another team while you carry Eli, $21M in dead cap for Odell the next 2 years & a RB drafted at #2.
— Warren Sharp (@SharpFootball) March 13, 2019
This is why the NY Football Giants stink.
first landon collins, and now odell beckham, jr. the giants think they're slick. they're trying to tank to get zion williamson.
— stan verrett (@stanverrett) March 13, 2019
“The #Browns have made a deal with the Giants that brings Odell Beckham Jr to Cleveland to team up with Baker Mayfield”
— CleWest (@erjmanlasvegas) March 13, 2019
Browns fans:pic.twitter.com/J6HWSWwusU
https://twitter.com/JordanIce17/status/1105623418563629056
The whole New York Giants fan base just switched to Cleveland.... Smh
— Dez Bryant (@DezBryant) March 13, 2019
The New York Giants have traded Odell Beckham Jr to the Browns
— Strom 🌊 (@KingChris_266) March 13, 2019
Giants Fans : https://t.co/aUtbqwSa8g
By unloading Beckham, the Giants have committed to Saquon Barkley as the face of the franchise. Unfortunately, Barkley is about all Giants’ fans have to hang their hat on right now.