Dave Gettleman on Odell Beckham: “We didn’t sign him to trade him”

New York Giants general manager Dave Gettleman spoke with the media publicly on Wednesday for the first time since July. While there were many questions about the quarterback and that door was left open, the biggest commitment Gettleman showed to a player for 2019 was somewhat surprisingly Odell Beckham Jr. When asked whether there could possibly be a trade in the works for the star wide receiver, Gettleman responded with “We didn’t sign him to trade him.”

Even though the 2018 regular season ended less than a week ago, there have already been multiple stories speculating a possible Beckham trade.

Beckham was in constant trade rumors last season before signing a five-year/$90 million contract with $65 million in guarantees, $41 of which were guaranteed at signing. Gettleman’s statement on Beckham during the press conference had significantly more commitment behind it than any comments he made throughout the 2018 offseason before the contract was signed.

Trading Beckham would leave $16 million in dead money but free up $5 million in cap space for the 2019 season, per Over The Cap. Even considering the possible return, that wouldn’t make a lot of sense from a roster-building standpoint, especially on one trying to win.

In 12 games this season, Beckham was 18th in receiving yards (1,052), ninth in yards per game (87.7), and 15th in Points Earned among wide receivers per Sports Info Solutions. The passing offense was also significantly hampered when Beckham wasn’t in the game:

Hopefully, Gettleman’s wording during his press conference will allow any more Beckham trade rumors to die, so we don’t have to go through another offseason of them.