With one fell dial of Joe Schoen's phone, one of the feel-good stories of the 2026 NFL season, Odell Beckham Jr. returning to the New York Giants, came to an end.
For all of the offseason drama, the OBJ watch during the preseason, and the general vibe boost when John Harbaugh announced that his former Baltimore Ravens receiver had made the 53-man roster, the marriage ultimately proved fruitless, with Beckham Jr. playing just 20 snaps on offense before his release, which came with the corresponding decision to sign Braxton Barios from the practice squad.
Discussing the decision on social media, Fox Sports Insider Jordan Schultz revealed that the Giants expect their break with Beckham Jr. to be a clean one, as they don't expect to add him to their practice squad at this point.
“OBJ has not been featured much despite earning a spot on the team, and the sides decided a mutual parting was best for everyone. This gives him an opportunity to catch on with a team in a better situation, where his talents can be better utilized,” Schultz wrote.
“My understanding is Odell Beckham Jr. will not be returning to the Giants’ practice squad either. It’s all love between OBJ and the Giants organization, but the hope is that he can find a better situation where he’ll have an opportunity to play. The fact that he earned a roster spot this summer should help him get another shot.”
Would it have been cool to see Beckham Jr. get some serious play with the Giants, forming a quality connection with Jaxson Dart while serving as a veteran mentor for Malik Nabers in 2026? Absolutely, but given how everything has gone for the Giants so far in 2026, this season has quickly shifted from making the playoffs at all costs to finding pieces for the future, when Dart and Brian Burns are healthy enough to contribute.
Fortunately in the NFL, when one door closes, another opens, and after showing he can still get open, make plays, and put a team over his personal ambitions, there should be a few options for Beckham Jr. if he's willing to play ball.
Odell Beckham Jr. option 1: The Los Angeles Chargers
When they're both coaching in the NFL, there isn't a more familial relationship between two teams than those coached by the Harbaugh brothers.
They've swapped players like Patrick Ricard, Odafe Oweh, and J.K. Dobbins, used the same coordinators like Greg Roman, and Jim even seemingly played a role in John's team trading for 9 himself, JJ McCarthy, from the Minnesota Vikings after losing Dart for the season in Week 2.
So could Beckham Jr. be the next member of the greater Harbaugh Bros. tree to jump from one side to the other? Considering he already has experience playing at SoFi Stadium, winning a Super Bowl as a member of the Los Angeles Rams, and would likely enjoy a return to the West Coast as a member of a team that's struggling to get much going on offense through three weeks.
Through Week 3, the Chargers rank 20th in passing yards and 24th in passing touchdowns, with only two wide receivers, Ladd McConkey and Tre Harris, having more than 100 yards. Quintin Johnston has only caught six of his team-leading 17 targets, and players like Brenen Thompson, Derius Davis, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling have yet to make any meaningful impact.
Could OBJ slide into that WR3 spot and produce better than Johnston, MVS, or any other option on the table for LA? That feels like a distinct possibility.
Odell Beckham Jr. option 2: The New England Patriots
Speaking of not getting much production from the wide receiver position, has any team struggled more from losing one player than the New England Patriots?
After spending literally months pursuing a trade for AJ Brown, the former Philadelphia Eagles Pro Bowler suffered an injury in Week 1 and has been held out of action ever since, with his return not expected until mid-to-late October at the earliest. As a result, Drake Maye has been tasked with throwing the ball to Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, and Kyle Williams, and thus far, the results haven't been great.
Sitting at 1-2, the Super Bowl runner-ups are ranking 19th in passing yards and 31st in touchdowns, with Maye only throwing one versus six interceptions. Maye is also only completing 63.8 percent of his passes in 2026, down almost 10 points from his 72.0 in 2025, and just generally looks uncomfortable throwing to his current collection of weapons, often resulting in wild misses that occasionally land in an opponent's hands instead of his teammates.
OBJ may not be the WR1 he prided himself on as a member of the Giants and Browns, but he is a playmaker who can attack zone coverage and even haul in the occasional vertical pass down the sideline. If he's willing to sign with the practice squad, he could be a low-risk, mid-level reward until Brown returns.
Odell Beckham Jr. option 3: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers
And last but not least, if the Giants are going to say goodbye to Beckham Jr. and cut his return short, why not keep that same reunion energy going and link back up with Baker Mayfield now as a member of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
While OBJ's run in New York clearly sits as his most memorable, he did some very good work as a member of the Cleveland Browns from 2019-21, forming a strong connection with Mayfield to the tune of 114 receptions for 1,586 yards and seven touchdowns. Paired up with his LSU teammate, Jarvis Landry, Beckham Jr. provided some big-play ability opposite a more possession-focused slot receiver, and helped lead the Browns to their best season this century under then-first year head coach Kevin Stefanski, going 11-5 before a loss in the divisional round.
Now granted, any reunion between Beckham and Mayfield will have to wait at least a few weeks, as he suffered a thumb injury in Week 3 that could keep him out of action for much of October, but that could allow OBJ to spend a few weeks on the practice squad learning Zac Robinson's offense until his QB1 returns.
Would the Buccaneers want to play OBJ in Week 7 if they are 1-6 and the season is effectively lost? Probably not, but then again, considering Todd Bowles might not last until 2027 if 2026 ends in disaster, he might be willing to go all-in on another playoff bid, giving Beckham Jr. a chance to reconnect with Mayfield as they both look to save a season that didn't begin as planned.