Odell Beckham Jr. is officially back for his 13th NFL season with the Giants, and head coach John Harbaugh just laid out exactly why he earned that spot on the 53-man roster. The team made the homecoming official a couple of days after the preseason finale, and Harbaugh straight up hinted OBJ had done enough to make the cut. Forget the drama, this is about pure football right now.
OBJ Is Back in Blue and He Earned Every Single Rep
Harbaugh didn’t mince words about keeping the veteran receiver. “From beginning to end he earned it,” the coach said. You love to hear that about a guy in his 13th year, right? Harbaugh explained they looked at the roster, the reps, the plays, what the team needed for the season, and picked the best guys. “He was one of the best guys for us, he earned it, he earned his spot.” It sounds like OBJ showed up ready to ball, proving he “looked like he was ready to help us.” Beckham is going to be rotating in and out with different personnel groups, but the expectation is clear: he’s playing a role in that receiver room. OBJ himself is fired up, saying he’s looking to “provide, and do that and more,” and he’s “never shied away from competition or anything like that.” He knows he can still produce, and he wants to prove it.
Practice Squad or 53-Man? The Giants’ Wild Receiver Shuffle and a Packed Backfield
While OBJ found his spot, one receiver who didn’t make the initial 53-man was Braxton Berrios. But hold up, he was cut on Sunday and back on the practice squad by Monday. That’s a quick turnaround! Harbaugh revealed their plan is to treat Berrios “like he’s playing on the 53 Man roster, for now.” This kind of roster flexibility is wild these days. The Giants fully expect Berrios on their active roster before the season opener, and he’s currently penciled in as their top punt returner. That’s a crucial special teams role for a guy who technically isn’t on the main roster yet.
Then there’s the running back situation. Talk about crowded! There was some serious buzz that the Giants might actually part ways with Tyrone Tracy Jr. after what Harbaugh described as a “brutal preseason,” but they decided to hold onto him. So now they’re heading into the season with four running backs: returning starter Cam Skattebo, recently signed Najee Harris, Tracy Jr., and veteran Devin Singletary. Four backs! Harbaugh said it simply: “We just felt like they were part of our 53 best players, and it wasn’t comfortable letting one of them go.” He expects all of them to play a role and contribute. That’s a lot of mouths to feed, but hey, if they’re the best 53, you keep ’em.
No Kicking Concerns Here and a Bubble CB Who Made the Cut
Moving to special teams, there’s always a little worry when you hand the kicking duties to a rookie. But for the Giants, there’s “no concern at all” with Dominic Zvada. This kid was “tremendous throughout camp and preseason action,” beating out Ben Sauls for a spot that’s been a bit shaky for the team in recent seasons. Zvada nailed all three of his field goals in the final preseason tune-up. Harbaugh is clearly confident, stating Zvada “made a bunch of kicks before that, and I’m sure he’ll make a bunch in the future.” And if he misses one? “It’s not the end of the world, I learned that,” Harbaugh quipped. “I think he’s going to kick really well for us.” Sounds like a vote of confidence. Finally, on the roster bubble, Nic Jones (CB6) managed to stick around, with Art Green getting waived with an injury settlement.
As the Giants gear up for the season opener, these decisions are going to be under the microscope. With Beckham back, a stacked backfield, and a rookie kicker, the early season is going to be a fascinating watch for Big Blue.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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