Losing a wide receiver like Odell Beckham Jr. would likely be the worst nightmare for any offensive coordinator, but for New York Giants head coach and play caller Pat Shurmur, it was the right move to trade him.
While general manager Dave Gettleman was thought to be the mastermind behind trading Beckham, Shurmur was equally behind the deal, and putting together a balanced team was the objective. Receiving pieces to bolster the offensive line, safety position, and draft capital was in the best interest of the team as a whole, despite losing their best receiver.
As a consolation prize, the Giants scooped up Golden Tate to provide Shurmur with another weapon. Having Saquon Barkley, Tate, and Evan Engram should be more than enough to operate the offense at a high level.
New York Giants: Pat Shurmur was asked about his part in the OBJ trade
“Absolutely,’’ Pat Shurmur told the New York Post. “Everything we do behind the scenes, coaching and roster building, is collaborative.’’
“My reaction is always the case with trades, it’s good for both parties,’’ Shurmur said. “We feel good about what we got. We got a starting safety, we got a first-round pick and we got our third-round pick. We felt it was good for us and, because we were able to come to an agreement, Cleveland thought it was good for them.’’
If you factor out defensive end Olivier Vernon, considering he was going to be cut, they received a top offensive guard as well.
“With regard to Odell and even O.V., it was business,’’ Shurmur said. “I know from my standpoint on a personal level anybody I’ve ever worked with I wish the best for when they leave. I’m hopeful O.V. and Odell can go to Cleveland, have an impact and help their team win games. That’s where it’s at.’’
Football is a business at the end of the day, regardless of the fan obsession or love for a specific player. Building a winning team is the goal, and 100 one-handed catches that light the world ablaze simply doesn’t make a difference in that end goal.
Many have questioned the direction of the New York Giants:
“We’ve gone into this offseason knowing we have to build,’’ he said. “I don’t like the word ‘rebuild.’ We’re building. Dave has a plan, we have a plan and we’re just moving forward.’’
Moving forward, we can expect the Giants to continue making changes, whether they involve generational talents or not. As long as Saquon Barkley is heading the offense and breaking tackles at will, we will be just fine.