New York Giants: Can Odell Beckham Jr. become a leader?

New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is about to be tasked with being a locker-room leader, even if he is not yet ready for the role.

In the grand scheme of things, New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. showing up for voluntary OTAs isn’t a sign of anything. Beckham, understandably so, still wants to be paid what he is owed in guaranteed money and other cash. He could still hold out and threaten to skip meaningless preseason contests unless the Giants either reward him with the contract he deserves or trade him to a team willing to put pen to paper with the superstar. Little has changed as Beckham continues his return from the ankle injury that cost him the bulk of last season.

Media members expecting, and maybe hoping in certain instances, Beckham wouldn’t arrive for voluntary workouts who would have criticized that decision should praise the 25-year-old for doing the right thing. Some have. As much as narratives created by those with agendas who wish to disparage Beckham whenever they see an opportunity are unfair and downright ridiculous, those yearning to see his latest gesture as an indication that he is all-in on playing for the Giants under the final year of his rookie deal should pump the brakes.

Unless something changes, that part of the tale ends with Beckham and the Giants agreeing to a new contract. Head coach Pat Shurmur and general manager Dave Gettleman have spoken highly of their offense’s best player since accepting their jobs.

Per ESPN’s Jordan Raanan, co-owner John Mara recently said, “It’s not the first contract negotiation we’ve ever had. It will get done when it’s supposed to get done.” Exercising patience is fine on during Memorial Day week, but Mara probably realizes he and the club will eventually have to blink. It’s the lay of the land.

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There are, of course, zero issues with Beckham as a talent. A healthy Beckham is a game-changing weapon capable of taking the ball to the house nearly anytime he touches it. Obviously, the Giants will dump money into Beckham’s lap because of what he offers the offense, but the type of contract he will inevitably sign will ask more of him than just scoring touchdowns and avoiding suspensions and bans caused by eccentric behavior or chippy battles with defensive backs.

Just as with running backs, wide receivers often hit the figurative wall at the age of 30. Beckham likely doesn’t realize it today as he envisions becoming one of the richest players in the locker room, but he is on the verge of entering the most important four-year stretch of his career. Records that he holds look nice on a Wikipedia page, but it is what he will do on the field and behind the scenes between this coming September and the end of 2022 that will likely determine if he is enshrined in the New York Ring of Honor and the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

Once quarterback Eli Manning and the Giants part ways, probably in the winter or spring of 2019, Beckham will serve as the veteran voice for offensive teammates. Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram, Saquon Barkley and others will look to Beckham for support, encouragement and guidance. As has been noted by multiple individuals and sources, such as NFL.com, Beckham bonded with the rookie running back selected second overall ahead of the 2018 NFL Draft. That makes for a nice story, but how Beckham acts on bad days, such as those after a loss, will affect Barkley and others around him more than a single phone call.

Beckham must put in extra work to help Davis Webb develop into a potential replacement for Manning. Beckham needs to set the example for Barkley and other younger players that athleticism, on its own, isn’t enough to excel at the highest level. The celebrations and trash talk are fine and, in a way, make Beckham the human highlight reel that he is, but he should demonstrate he can tiptoe on the line without crossing it.

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Listen to Giants players speak about Beckham, and you’ll hear that they believe he can become that man. They love his personality. Can he be the bad guy when the situation calls for it? Will he command the level of respect required for a situation that involves Beckham calling-out somebody for dropping a pass, running a wrong route or giving up on a play or a practice? Only Beckham can provide answers to such questions over a lengthy period of time.

Mara and Gettleman signing Beckham is not only about keeping a cornerstone of a championship-caliber offense. It’s also about trusting Beckham to be everything the Giants need him to be outside of only the 16 Sundays he’ll play. He’ll be worth every dollar, and more, if he evolves into that presence beginning this summer.