EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- New York Giants coach John Harbaugh said he has talked to former star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. three or four times over the past week as they remain in touch about reuniting. But they will "play it out over the next month and into training camp" before making a decision.
Beckham, 33, is currently a free agent. He worked out for the Giants last month and "looked good," according to Harbaugh.
The Giants' first-round pick in 2014 out of LSU wants to return to New York. But Harbaugh has emphasized it's a move that has to make sense for both sides.
"Talked to Odell a lot, probably three of four times in the last week, [see] where he's at, where we're at," Harbaugh said Saturday after a Giants rookie minicamp practice. "He's in Arizona right now training and spending time with his son. The goal for right now is for him to train and get as ready as he can be. And then we'll see where we're at at that time."
Harbaugh spoke just minutes after he finished watching third-round wide receiver Malachi Fields run and impress while catching several slants at rookie minicamp. Fields is part of a wide receiver room that includes an injured Malik Nabers and Darius Slayton along with recently signed Darnell Mooney and Calvin Austin III.
Whether Beckham fits in is still to be determined. He is trying to come back after sitting out last season and posted nine catches for 55 yards in 2024 with the Miami Dolphins.
"We have just such an honest conversation about it. It's got to be right for both parties," Harbaugh said. "Odell wants to be the kind of player that can make a difference. I'm pretty sure that he can make a team in the National Football League right now. But can he make a difference and is it something he wants to do and is his body going to hold up the way he wants it to?"
Beckham broke his leg during his time in New York from 2014 to 2019 and has since twice torn an ACL. But he ran well during his workout with the Giants.
He has previous history with Harbaugh from the 2023 season in Baltimore, and they maintain a strong personal relationship.
"All those things are questions that need to get answered for anybody that age," Harbaugh said. "Now, you know Odell, he's confident, man. He's confident, he's working hard, and he believes in himself. So I think we'll just play it out over the next month and into training camp and see where we're at."
The Giants also could be waiting to see how Nabers (knee) and Slayton (core muscle) progress off surgery this spring and into the summer.
Beckham would be fighting for a roster spot if he were to be signed but has made clear his desire to return to the Giants. It has a segment of the fanbase clamoring for his return.
"That sounds great. If that opportunity presents itself, I would love to do that. I would be excited about that," Beckham told sports show host Kay Adams before the Fanatics Flag Football Classic in Los Angeles earlier this year.
Beckham seems open to serving as a mentor for Nabers. It makes sense considering both are LSU products and Beckham knows the potential pitfalls of New York. The former lightning-rod receiver was traded from the Giants to the Cleveland Browns even after he was signed to a long-term deal.
