There’s simply only one reason the New York Giants found it acceptable to trade Odell Beckham Jr., and that’s at the hands of Saquon Barkley.
The production Barkley provided in his rookie season (over 2,000 All-Purpose yards) proves that he can be the focal point of the offense and the future going forward. Most would point to the dynamic duo that Barkley and Beckham could form, but the reality is – it was more about entertainment than winning.
The New York Giants needed to make a difficult decision:
The Giants don’t need both Barkley and Beckham on the offense to succeed. Look at the New England Patriots. They enjoy sustained success with players most have never heard of before. The proof is in the pudding – the Giants averaged more points and yards per game with Beckham off the field and Barkley on it. The sample size is small, but it’s the only information we can use with Barkley as the featured player.
Now, defenses will begin to game-plan around stopping Barkley, which some managed to do in 2018, but the fact of the matter is, he’s capable of bursting a touchdown run on every touch, and it’s only a matter of time before he does. Having two quality receivers in Sterling Shepard and Golden Tate offers more value than Beckham alone.
Something to be aware of:
Here’s an interesting fact – both Shepard and Tate have missed a combined 12 games in 12 total years. Beckham missed 21 games in five years. The best way to produce is to actually be on the field, which is something the Giants’ current duo seems to be good at.
That’s not taking away from the incredible talents that Beckham holds, but rather missing games can be the difference between a playoff appearance or not no matter the number of one-handed catches and breath-taking grabs. I would rather win the boring way than lose the exciting way every single time.
That’s simply a reality of football – talent doesn’t always translate to wins. A good objection would be – the Giants have rebuilt their offensive line and Manning is finally in a position to produce. Beckham would have been a clear benefactor of that. The trade can’t be justified unless the 17th overall pick in the first-round turns into something valuable, but for now, all we can do is wait and see.