Odell’s Day: Odell Beckham attends mini-camp, practices on limited basis

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — As expected, Odell Beckham Jr. attended the first day of New York Giants mandatory mini-camp on Tuesday. Coach Pat Shurmur said that Beckham was “cleared to practice,” and that’s what the wide receiver did. On a limited basis.

Coming back from last season’s season-ending fractured ankle, Beckham did wide receiver drills early in practice, then ran a few pass routes for Eli Manning without facing any defenders. Beckham did not participate in any 7-on-7 or 11-on-11 drills.

Beckham was not made available to the media after practice.

“He ran maybe four or five routes or so,” Manning said. “Looks good coming out of his breaks. From what I see he looks sharp and ready to go.”

There were some who wondered why, if Beckham was cleared, he didn’t do more.

“He’s cleared to practice and that’s what he was doing,” Shurmur said. “If you all want to count the reps go ahead, but he was out there practicing. … I don’t think it necessarily helps anybody to play the word game.”

Shurmur also didn’t want to discuss Beckham’s contract situation.

“What I’m concerned about as the coach is my relationship with him and him learning as he can through this offseason so when we get going he’s ready to go,” Shurmur said.

“My job as a coach then, and our job as coaches, is to get him trained up and put him on the field. That’s what we worry about. This isn’t the first time in the NFL we’ve talked about a player and a contract. We just keep moving, we keep developing our relationship within what’s going on and we move forward. That’s where it’s at.”

Valentine’s View

To be honest, the Beckham story on Tuesday is much ado about nothing. It is news worthy that he has officially been cleared to practice. It certainly isn’t a big deal that he didn’t practice fully, meaning he didn’t work against any defenders.

It’s June. It’s mini-camp. There is no reason to push. The real story would have been if a) Beckham didn’t show up or b) he did more than would have been expected.

He looked good running around. He left his feet one time during individual drills to try and make a one-handed catch (he failed). He ran and cut well, including running one fairly deep route.

As for the contract stuff, it will continue to be asked about. Shurmur, though, is making it clear it’s not his department to worry about that.