Odell Beckham Jr. is back with the New York Giants and in a big way. The 33-year-old former All-Pro returned to Big Blue on a one-year free-agent deal this offseason in hopes that he can revive his fading career.
Hope no more. OBJ has killed it this summer at training camp, and it's hard to see the Giants leaving him off their 53-man roster come final cutdowns on August 30.
"Man, he looks great to me," veteran backup quarterback Jameis Winston told reporters after Wednesday's workout at training camp. "And I think all the players say this: When you have somebody who has meant so much to this organization in terms of that catch, and I would say the excitement that he brought to the New York Football Giants during the years of Eli's (Manning) last
years, it just was incredible. And you see that show up at practice day in and day out.
"But as me and him talk all the time, he's just hungry for more, because he feels like he's just got some unfinished business, and he's excited. I can't wait to hear the fans yell when he runs out there and catches a touchdown against the Minnesota Vikings in MetLife Stadium. I think that is going to be one of the loudest roars... I just can't even imagine the anticipation that our fans have for one of my favorite players growing up, Odell Beckham Jr., wearing that blue, man, and playing good football."
Winston, who knows a few things about second and third acts, is in awe of Beckham and says many of the younger Giants are OBJ fans as well.
"I think as a player, he's still the same caliber player, but I've never been around him in a building," said Winston. "I only knew him as this football icon, the guy that made one-handed catches, and if you put the ball in his hand, he was going to make a play.
"But to see him being the teammate that he is -- it's very funny seeing he and Malachi (Fields). Because Malachi -- most of the young guys -- they're Odell Beckham Jr. fans. It's true. Jalin Hyatt got 13 because he's an Odell Beckham Jr. fan. So, it's fun to see him putting the past in the past and focusing on getting better every day."
Beckham has made an impression on all the young players, many of whom have no qualms admitting they grew up idolizing him.
"He's been great," said cornerback Paulson Adebo. "I think every time we line up against him, he looks good. I grew up watching him as a younging, so it's definitely cool to be able to go up against him, but yeah, he definitely looks like he looks ready."
"I had to confess to him (Beckham) in the locker room," safety Jason Pinnock said. "It was like 2016, 2017. I had him as my screensaver in high school. He was like, 'Don't tell me that. That would make me feel a little old.' But it's crazy. It’s kind of like idol turned rival."
"Being that 12-year-old kid, watching Odell on Monday night catch that one hand. Him having the locker right next to mine is surreal. It's definitely been really fun and incredible being next to that guy," added rookie defensive back Colton Hood.
It's time for Beckham to make new memories for his fans, some of whom will be playing alongside him this year.
This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: From idol to teammate: New York Giants players in awe of Odell Beckham Jr.
