Odell Beckham Jr. agreed to a contract extension with the New York Giants on Monday, working out a deal that will make him the highest-paid wide receiver in professional football.
According to an ESPN report, sources say the deal could be worth as much as $95 million over six years, with $65 million in total guaranteed money, and $41 million fully guaranteed when the contract is signed.
Secure Future in New York
Beckham was previously slated to make $8.4 million on the fifth year of his rookie contract. Now, he’ll technically be making under $1.5 million in salary for the 2018 season – but he’ll also be receiving a $20 million signing bonus.
For Beckham, who has looking to rework and extend his contract over the past two seasons, the end of negotiations was a weight off his shoulders.
“I don’t know if it’s a relief, I don’t know – it’s a combination of everything,” Beckham said in a statement. “I know that it would get done; it just was a matter of when. And I’m just so happy that it is finally done now.”
Since coming to the Giants as a rookie in 2014, Beckham has been one of the most electrifying wide receivers in the NFL. He was named to the Pro Bowl in each of his first three seasons, making at least 90 catches for more than 1,300 yards and scoring at least 10 touchdowns in each of those years.
But 2017 saw Beckham play in just four games, as an ankle injury sidelined him for most of the season – something that gave the star receiver a new perspective.
“I remember the nights falling asleep downstairs, having to get up to my room and literally having to crawl up three flights of stairs to get up to my room,” Beckham said in training camp earlier this year. “So being able to walk again, being able to do the little things, I’m very appreciative of being able to be back out there.”
Giants Lock Up Their Biggest Weapon
For the Giants, the deal provides a sense of security, as the team now knows its most explosive offensive threat will be on the roster for the foreseeable future.
“We got him until he’s 108,” said Giants general manager Dave Gettleman. “I’m pleased, because the litmus test for a contract is that neither side is ticked off before the ink can dry, and neither side should be ticket off.”
The deal compares favorably to some of the other recent contracts for elite wide receivers. Kansas City Chiefs receiver Sammy Watkins is receiving $16 million a year in total value, while Antonio Brown got $17 million per year in new money from the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Mike Brown was given $55 million in guaranteed money from Tampa Bay – all figures that were eclipsed by Beckham’s new contract.
While nobody doubt’s Beckham’s talent and athleticism, there have been questions at times over his behavior. The receiver has become known for outrageous end zone celebrations and outbursts during play and on the sidelines, which have sometimes distracted from his play. According to an ESPN report, questions over his character even led one team to hire a private investigator to track Beckham during the spring, which it briefly appeared that the Giants might be open to the idea of trading him.