Giants skip out on Odell Beckham Jr. reunion, eye legit WR1

jordan addison, new york giants, USC
Nov 19, 2022; Pasadena, California, USA; Southern California Trojans wide receiver Jordan Addison (3) celebrates his touchdown scored againt the UCLA Bruins during the second half at the Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

There will be no reunion for Odell Beckham Jr. and the New York Giants as the 30-year-old wide receiver has agreed to terms with the Baltimore Ravens. The Giants expressed significant interest in signing the veteran wideout this offseason, but his contract seemingly exceeded New York’s price range.

Instead, the Giants will turn their attention elsewhere as they search for a legit WR1 to transform their offense.

Giants continuing their search for a WR1

Signing OBJ would have given the Giants some additional firepower on offense, however, it still would have left the team without a truly elite No. 1 receiver. Beckham, albeit still a great player, has not played a down of regular season football in nearly two years as he’s recovered from a knee injury. Big Blue is searching for a more dependable wideout with a higher ceiling to serve as their primary receiving threat.

Among the list of established veteran receivers that the Giants could target are DeAndre Hopkins and Jerry Jeudy. New York has expressed interest in trading for both of these players, however, steep price tags and expensive contracts are preventing any deals from getting done.

The Giants have spent much of this offseason scouting the top wide receiver prospects in the upcoming 2023 NFL Draft. New York had dinner with the likes of Boston College’s Zay Flowers and Ohio State’s Jaxon Smith-Njigba. They’ve also met with the other top receiver prospects, like Jordan Addison and Quentin Johnston.

It feels likely that the Giants will draft a wide receiver within the first three rounds of this year’s draft. Team President John Mara recently discussed the importance of building the team around QB Daniel Jones and adding playmakers to their offense.

As the 2023 NFL Draft nears, the Giants are still in the market for a wide receiver. While a draft-day trade for a veteran like Hopkins is still a possibility, in all likelihood, the Giants will be targeting a draft prospect to fill that No. 1 receiver role in 2023 and beyond.