Eli Manning says Odell Beckham Jr. was “his old self” at minicamp

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning believes wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. looked like “his old self” after last month’s three-day minicamp.

“Odell looked healthy,” Manning said at the Offense-Defense Football Camp on behalf of the Gatorade Beat the Heat program at Kean University. “He was running routes at full speed, making cuts and seemed to be his old self. So, I’m excited about that and that he can go out there and running all the routes.

“So excited to get him back going once training camp hits up. And getting on the same page, there’s always new routes and new tweaks to the offense. But I know he’s been working hard and is going to have a big year.”

Beckham suffered a season-ending injury when he broke his ankle in a Week 5 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. This came after missing the final two preseason games and the regular season opener due to injury of the same ankle.

He was a constant presence at the Giants for their offseason workouts. Since the end of the team’s minicamp, he has been training in California. Sterling Shepard, Evan Engram, and Saquon Barkley trained with him last week. Hall of Fame wide receiver Terrell Owens also joined Beckham for a workout.

“Yeah, I’ve seen a couple of videos,” Manning said. “Those guys always work. Appreciate the work. Getting ready for the upcoming season. I know they’ll have to make some adjustments. We do practice with our shirts on with the Giants. So, they’ll have to make an adjustment in the first few weeks. It may take some time to get used to that. But besides that, I know those guys, it’s great that they are together. They are challenging each other. They’re getting ready for the upcoming season.”

Beckham averaged more than 90 receptions for 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns in his first three professional seasons. Last season, he was limited to 25 receptions for 303 yards and three touchdowns. He said he will be at training camp when veterans report on July 25 despite a desire for a new contract.

“Yes, sir. Yes, you will,” Beckham said after being asked if he would attend training camp last month. “No holdout.”

Manning knows the offense can only benefit with his top receiver on the field. The Giants offense averaged 13.6 points per game without Beckham last season.

“Obviously he’s a tremendous player and can be a game-changer, make big plays in critical moments,” Manning said. “Get you first downs and turn simple plays into touchdowns. We need him healthy with the other guys.”

– Curtis Rawls is a Managing Editor for Full Press Coverage and covers the NFL, the New York Giants, and the NBA. Please like and follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Twitter. Curtis can be followed on Twitter @CuRawls203.