Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive

Odell Beckham, Jr. promised he won't hold out, but sources in his camp insist a holdout is still on the table. Pat Shurmur said he expects Beckham will show up to camp on time, but team sources say they're not so sure about that. Beckham wants a new contract, but there's no indication he'll get one any time soon. And there are still five weeks to go until the Giants report for training camp, and any of that could change at any time.

So while you're biting your nails for the next few weeks wondering if the Giants' best player will show up or not, and pondering just how ugly his contract negotiations could get (or not), here's a primer on where everything stands with Beckham, the Giants, and his contract as of right now, and a look at where this whole thing may eventually go...

The No. 2 pick is No. 1.

Giants rookie RB Saquon Barkley has the best-selling jersey in the NFL, according to the DICK's Sporting Goods Jersey Report.

Barkley has held the top spot for the week and last month. Eagles QB Carson Wentz is No.2, with Cowboys RB Ezekiel Elliott No.3. Jets rookie QB Sam Darnold checks in at No. 8. 

There wasn't much to critique when looking back at Giants TE Evan Engram's rookie season. He was one of Eli Manning's top targets as he hauled in 64 receptions for 722 yards and six touchdowns, which earned him a spot on the PFWA's All-Rookie Team. 

But no one is perfect, and Engram knows there is an area of his game he can improve on. Though he led all rookie tight ends in receptions, yards and touchdowns, he could have more in each category if he didn't drop 11 passes. 

Engram's catch rate was 55 percent last season, and that is what he is working on in preparing for this year. It already began during the team's offseason workouts.

This offseason, Giants QB Davis Webb's personality has been on full display. 

During practice at the Giants' three-day mandatory minicamp this past week, Webb slung a pass toward TE Kyle Carter who was in one-on-one coverage. And before the ball even reached its peak in the air, he knew it was destined for a score. 

"That's six!," he yelled for The Post's Paul Schwartz and the rest watching practice to hear. 

Giants RB Saquon Barkley will be one of many athletes to appear in ESPN The Magazine's annual Body Issue this year. 

Barkley is another Giants' first-rounder that agreed to be in the issue, as Odell Beckham Jr. was a part of the 2015 Body Issue. The Penn State product is also the only New York athlete that will be featured. 

CLICK BELOW TO SEE THE PREVIEW 

Giants RB Jonathan Stewart has an idea of the conversations star WR Odell Beckham Jr. will have regarding his highly-anticipated contract extension with GM Dave Gettleman. He's been there before. 

While playing with the Panthers under Gettleman, Stewart saw his five-year, $36.5 million contract he signed in 2012 get restructured three times (2013, 2014, 2017). And during this process, Stewart knew that it was simply business done by Gettleman to help the team. 

So, Stewart's advice to Beckham is to continue working hard, and to only control the things he can control. 

He may be only 25 years old, but Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. is entering his fifth year in the NFL. And with that experience, he has taken it upon himself to act as a leader.

The Giants have been impressed by how Beckham is embracing all the new faces in the locker room, with one coach simply saying, "Odell's been awesome," according to SI's Albert Breer.

Beckham's leadership in the locker room and making new players feel at home can be added to the things he has done right this offseason ahead of a potential contract extension. He has showed up for some of the Giants' voluntary offseason workout program, has been talking to head coach Pat Shurmur all offseason, and most importantly, didn't hold out of the team's three-day minicamp this past week.

Perhaps Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. can be the franchise's next quarterback if need be.

At his youth camp on Sunday, the Giants' star receiver showed he's not only an expert at catching the ball, but also at throwing it.

WATCH:

METUCHEN, N.J. - Odell Beckham Jr. promised he will be in training camp with the Giants this summer and that he won't be a holdout when camp opens on July 25 in an interview with SNY at his youth football camp on Saturday morning.

Those were Beckham's first comments on his plans for the summer and his unresolved contract situation, and the first clue about how much of a hard line he's willing to take. Just before he left the first day of his camp, he was asked by SNY if we'd see him at training camp and he said "Yes sir. Yes you will."

So no holdout, Beckham was asked? "No," he told SNY. "No holdout."...

Giants third-round draft pick DT B.J. Hill got his first taste of NFL football this offseason and has impressed his new coaches on their first up-close impression of the former N.C. State standout.

At minicamp and OTAs, Hill was just focused on proving himself-- and will stay focused when he returns for training camp in a month.

"I'm just trying to prove myself to the vets and the coaches that - if I'm starting or not - I can play in this league and get quality minutes," Hill said...

Giants QB Eli Manning has been praised as the team's starter under center by GM Dave Gettleman and head coach Pat Shurmur all offseason. But who will be his backup this season is still up in the air. 

The two candidates -- 2017 third-rounder Davis Webb and this year's fourth-round pick Kyle Lauletta -- will be in heated competition when training camp kicks up at the end of July.

Though both players are gunning for the same position, Lauletta said they couldn't be any better friends. 

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive: It's your move, Odell.

Giants head coach Pat Shurmur set the stage for the much-anticipated contract showdown between the Giants and Odell Beckham, Jr. on Thursday, when he said he expects his star receiver will report on time for training camp on July 25.

Shurmur also said he has "no reason to believe" that Beckham won't be able to fully participate -- including in the team drills he sat out this week.

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -The Giants dodged a major injury scare on Thursday after Nate Solder, their $62 million left tackle, hurt his right leg when he ended up in a pile of bodies on one of the final plays of minicamp - right before rookie guard Will Hernandez and veteran defensive tackle Damon Harrison ended up in a wild fight on the field.

The injury to Solder, though, turned out to be nothing serious after he was examined by doctors on Thursday afternoon. "All good," according to an NFL source.

For a while, that wasn't certain. Giants head coach Pat Shurmur said that after getting an on-field update "I think he's fine." However Solder sounded a little less certain of that after practice, especially since he hadn't been checked out by doctors yet.

The Giants finished up their three-day mandatory minicamp, and they will take a hiatus before beginning training camp at the end of July. 

And when training camp begins, head coach Pat Shurmur fully believes star WR Odell Beckham Jr. will be there for Day 1. Shurmur also thinks that there is "no reason to believe" Beckham won't be able to participate fully in team drills, according to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano.

During the minicamp and the rest of the Giants' offseason practices so far, Beckham has sat out of team drills as both he and the team are being cautious with his ankle rehab. Shurmur said earlier this week that Beckham has been "cleared to practice," but he was only seen during individual drills before 11-on-11 play where he was sidelined. 

On the first day of the Giants' three-day mandatory minicamp, Giants DT Damon "Snacks" Harrison let rookie RB Saquon Barkley know that once the pads are on, he isn't holding back. 

"I'm excited to get out there in training camp, so I can hit his ass," Harrison said. "See what he's made of. I told him, it's not Penn State. He's not going up against (DT) Josh Banks at Wake Forest."

It was all meant in good faith, but Barkley understands fully what Harrison is on the Giants to do: stop the run. That is why when asked to rebuttle Harrison's comments, the rookie took the high road instead. 

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive: EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Two famous former Giants - and famous friends of Eli Manning - were in complete agreement on Saturday night about how the franchise they love had "wasted" the prime years of Manning's career.

Shaun O'Hara and Justin Tuck were absolutely right.

Those years were wasted with poor personnel decisions, too many draft choices that never made an impact, and an unbelievable combination of neglect and wrong moves along an offensive line that too often crumbled in front of the franchise quarterback.

After the second day of the Giants' mandatory three-day minicamp, SNY's Taylor Rooks had a chat with S Landon Collins. Little did she know S Andrew Adams wanted to get in the interview as well....

Giants CB Janoris Jenkins wants to be an interception machine this season.

The 29-year-old, who had ankle surgery last November and also dealt with some off-field issues last season, is looking for a huge comeback in 2018 -- with a goal of eight interceptions. And he wants to return four of them for touchdowns. 

Click below to see Jenkins' boast

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - For the first time, Ereck Flowers admitted the obvious: He wasn't happy when the Giants signed Nate Solder, or that he was forced to move from left tackle to right. "Of course," he said, it bothered him. How could it not?

So maybe it took him a little too long to get over the hurt, but Flowers is now able to dismiss that emotion. "It's … whatever, now," is how he put it. His focus instead, he insisted, is on making that transition to right tackle, trying to get better as a player, and proving to his coaches and critics that he can still play in the NFL.

And perhaps even more importantly, he wants to prove that to himself, too.

The Giants on Tuesday signed veteran TE Scott Simonson and waived rookie CB Aaron Davis, the team announced.

Simonson has played in 18 games across stints with both the Panthers and Raiders. He was sidelined by a back injury in 2017, which landed him on the injured reserve.

Simonson has caught only one pass in his career -- a 10-yard recepton in 2015, when he played in a season-high nine games. He earned his first career start in 2016 with the Panthers.

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Saquon Barkley has dazzled his teammates with the Giants this spring even though he hasn't taken a hit yet in the NFL.

That first hit, though, is coming soon. And it may happen long before he ever gets into a game.

"I'm excited to get out there in training camp, so I can hit his ass," Giants defensive tackle Damon Harrison said on the first day of minicamp Tuesday. "See what he's made of. I told him, it's not Penn State. He's not going up against (DT) Josh Banks at Wake Forest."

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - Odell Beckham has been "cleared to practice," according to Giants coach Pat Shurmur, even though he didn't really do much practicing at minicamp on Tuesday morning. The star receiver sat out of all the team drills, which had nothing to do with his contract situation, Shurmur said.

Except that it does. Of course it does.

Let's not be naïve. Until Beckham signs on the dotted line of what he expects will be, and could be, the most lucrative contract extension for a receiver in NFL history, his contract situation will loom over everything he does -- even if this lasts into next season. If he had already signed a new deal, would he have been on the field for team drills on Tuesday, eight months after ankle surgery?

Giants DT Damon "Snacks" Harrison is excited to see what No. 2 overall pick Saquon Barkley is made of. 

"The guy can play, man," Harrison said on Tuesday. "'Saquad', that's what they call him, or something like that. I'm excited to get out there in training camp, so I can hit his ass [laughs]. See what he's made of."

"I told him, it's not Penn State," Harrison added. "He's not going up against [defensive tackle] Josh Banks at Wake Forest. But no, the guy's explosive, you can see how they will use him in the offense, which will be to our benefit."

Giants star WR Odell Beckham Jr. has been "cleared to practice," head coach Pat Shurmur told SNY's Ralph Vacchiano after the team's first day of mandatory minicamp on Tuesday. 

What exactly "cleared to practice" means, though, is up in the air as Beckham was seen doing individual drills, but wasn't on the field for team drills. Shurmur said not all players are on the same practice schedule, and clearly Beckham would be put into that category.

It was reported earlier on Tuesday that Beckham and the Giants mutually agreed the 25-year-old, who is still rehabbing his surgically-repaired left ankle, should sit out of team drills. Vacchiano added that throughout this process of getting Beckham ready for next season, both sides wanted to be cautious and they were "totally on the same page" in the decision to keep him sidelined during full team activity...

Check back here for highlights from the Giants' first day of mandatory minicamp...

The first day of the Giants' three-day mandatory minicamp kicked off on Tuesday, and WR Odell Beckham Jr.'s attendance is the obvious big storyline. Here he is getting loose before practice begins...

CLICK BELOW TO SEE THE VIDEO

Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. will be present at mandatory minicamp on Tuesday, but don't expect to see much of him during team drills. 

After Beckham arrived for his pre-minicamp physical on Monday, the question of whether or not he would be fully cleared for practice this week reached its peak. Head coach Pat Shurmur noted earlier that his star receiver was "pretty close" to being medically cleared to participate with the rest of the squad. 

However, according to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano, the Giants and Beckham didn't have any intention to take team reps this week. Instead, they want to continue to be cautious, and both sides are "totally on the same page" with this decision. 

After hearing former Giants Justin Tuck and Shaun O'Hara defend QB Eli Manning over the weekend, the veteran quarterback doesn't view the past few years with the Giants as "wasted."

Instead, Manning believes his peak years are still upon him. 

"That's not the way I look at it and I think I still have some peak years left, so we can make it right," Manning told the Daily News' Pat Leonard at the Guiding Eyes annual golf outing at Mount Kisco Country Club.

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive: Now that Odell Beckham Jr. is planning to attend the Giants' mandatory mini-camp, a major crisis has been averted.

But that doesn't make the three-day camp any less interesting.

As the Giants continue their quick rebuild from the ashes of last year's 3-13 mess, they still have a lot of questions to answer and pieces to fit in before they get to training camp this summer. This week will begin to add some clarity to their picture...

Giants QB Eli Manning has been through the long contract negotiation period, which is why he was blunt when saying it could be a distraction to star WR Odell Beckham Jr.

Speaking at the Guided Eyes annual golf outing at Mount Kisco Country Club on Monday, Manning flashbacked to three years ago when he signed a four-year, $84 million deal after negotiations that spanned throughout training camp. The deal was made only a couple days before the regular season kicked off. 

For Beckham, the Giants could very well wait that long before they show him the dotted line. And it could affect what he decides to do this preseason. 

Giants LB Mark Herzlich knows all too well what GM Dave Gettleman is about to endure as his battle with lymphoma begins. 

The 67-year-old announced his diagnosis last week, and for Herzlich, he flashed back to 2009 when he was in Gettleman's shoes having been diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, while playing for Boston College. 

Embarking on this scary journey without knowing exactly what will happen in the end is something Herzlich has lived, which is why he plans on being there for Gettleman whenever he needs him. Herzlich plans on going to a chemo session with his new GM because he knows that having people around that care is the most important aspect of battling this disease...

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive: Odell Beckham Jr. and the Giants may be heading for a contract showdown eventually - but not right now.

The star receiver will be at the start of the Giants' mandatory, full-team mini-camp that officially begins on Tuesday morning, multiple NFL sources told SNY. And he is expected to participate at least on a limited basis during the three-day camp, even though the lucrative, long-term contract extension he's been seeking doesn't seem close at all.

In fact, according to ESPN, he checked in to the Giants' practice facility for his pre-camp physical on Monday afternoon.

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive: The rebuilding of the Giants is basically over, and now they're almost ready to begin the preparation. They have a three-day, full-team mini-camp next week, and then five weeks of training camp starting in late July to find out if they really are better than 3-13.

Just with better health alone they should be. And with some of the key additions they've made, perhaps the playoffs aren't out of reach either. But they do have a bunch of questions they need to answer first.

And you had a few questions, too. So one last time before the camps begin, I'll try to answer them here:

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive

POMONA, N.Y. - The idea that Eli Manning was in decline was laughable to former Giants center Shaun O'Hara. From what he's seen, his former quarterback hasn't lost anything, even at age 37.

It's just that the team around him the last few years was bad.

"To be honest with you, they've wasted the last few years of Eli's career," O'Hara said on Saturday night at the Landon Collins Celebrity Softball game at Palisades Credit Union Park. "They've wasted his prime. And it's been hard to sit and watch that happen."

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive

POMONA, N.Y. - Olivier Vernon, the lone Giants player to kneel for the national anthem all of last season, said he will abide by the new NFL rules and won't kneel this season. 

But he's not happy about the league's decision to step in and force the protests to stop.

"I mean, you never want to be told what to do, really, especially when it comes to your freedom of speech," Vernon said on Saturday night. "But it is what it is."

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive: The rebuilding of the Giants is basically over, and now they're almost ready to begin the preparation. They have a three-day, full-team mini-camp next week, and then five weeks of training camp starting in late July to find out if they really are better than 3-13.

Just with better health alone they should be. And with some of the key additions they've made, perhaps the playoffs aren't out of reach either. But they do have a bunch of questions they need to answer first.

And you had a few questions, too. So one last time before the camps begin, I'll try to answer them here:

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive: The NFL as a whole would prefer to have its players standing at attention during the national anthem, with no more player protests. For some owners, that's a patriotic gesture. For others, it's simply business. Mostly, though, NFL owners just really want this whole anthem/protest controversy to go away.

That's why it's so bizarre that the league has instead managed to make it infinitely worse.

The NFL knows it too, which is probably why Commissioner Roger Goodell remained so silent when President Donald Trump and the Philadelphia Eagles managed to turn the traditional visit to the White House by the Super Bowl champs into a political football earlier this week. Most of the Eagles weren't planning to go, so the president loudly cancelled the event.

Giants' third-round pick DT B.J. Hill has signed his rookie deal, which is believed to be four-years $3.4 million with a $1 million signing bonus according to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano. 

The only draft picks of the Giants Class of 2018 yet to sign are first-round pick RB Saquon Barkley and fifth-round pick DT R.J. McIntosh. 

Hill played four seasons at NC State where he totaled 183 tackles (23.5 for loss), eight sacks, nine passes defended, and two forced fumbles. 

Giants QB Davis Webb may not have seen the field in his rookie season, but that hasn't killed his confidence in what he can do when he steps on it. 

Webb displayed that confidence when he told Sports Illustrated Wednesday that he "can throw it better than anybody. I have a great arm." 

While attending David Tyree's "Children of the City Charity Bowl" in Manhattan Wednesday night, Webb may have backed down from the "anybody" part of his arm-strength comment. But he wasn't lying about his arm either...

Before their OTA on Tuesday, the Giants were called into an unexpected team meeting by head coach Pat Shurmur. Players looked at one another wondering what the meeting was for. 

Shurmur had to break the news to his squad that Giants GM Dave Gettleman has been diagnosed with lymphoma, and he would be battling the cancer as soon as possible. 

The news left the room speechless as everyone was shocked to hear the sad news...

If you live in Summit, NJ, be on the lookout for a diamond-encrusted ring that has Super Bowl XLVI written on it. Giants veteran long snapper Zak DeOssie is still searching for it. 

DeOssie and his wife were in a great mood on May 2 after helping to raise $65,000 for America Needs You, a charity to supports first-generation college students who come from low-income backgrounds. The night, though, wouldn't remain joyous as the team captain realized he had lost his Super Bowls XLII and XLVI rings. 

The DeOssie family frantically tore apart their home, but it was to no avail...

All offseason, the Giants have stressed the fact that veteran QB Eli Manning still has good football left in him. That was evident when the team decided to take RB Saquon Barkley with the No. 2 pick back in April. 

Giants co-owner John Mara is also confident in Manning this season, as he hopes his team can put their 3-13 diaster-of-a-season in the past. 

"We can win with him," Mara told the Daily News' Eric Barrow at a town hall event in the city on Tuesday. "Objectively, Dave (Gettleman) and Pat (Shurmur) both said he can still play."

Ralph Vacchiano | Facebook | Twitter | Archive: New Giants General Manager Dave Gettleman announced Tuesday that he was recently diagnosed with lymphoma, and will begin treatment "in the very near future."

The cancer was discovered during the 67-year-old's annual physical, Gettleman said in a statement. Doctors are still working to determine the exact course of his treatment, but Gettleman said he plans to continue to work during the process.

"The doctor's outlook for the treatment and the prognosis is positive," he said. "And so am I."

Giants QB Eli Manning had a rough 2017 season to say the least. However, the Giants' front office did some work this offseason to bolster his offensive line as well as add more weapons to throw to. 

So, does that mean Manning is set for a career year?

Playing "Boom or Bust" on "Loud Mouths," SNY's Jon Hein believes that Manning could very well have a good season in 2018. But predicting that he will have a career year would be absurd at the age of 37...

The Giants have added former Vikings P Taylor Symmank, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

Symmank attended Texas Tech for three years after transferring from Southern Arkansas University. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound punter, totaled 4,325 yards on 99 punts at Texas Tech.

He was undrafted in the 2016 draft, but signed with the Vikings in January 2017. He had been on the practice squad until September before he was released. 

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. - One of the biggest stars and best players on the Giants is heading into a contract year with no signs an extension is near. He's rehabbing his way back from an injury and is pretty close to being fully cleared by doctors, maybe even in time for the mandatory mini-camp next week.

Yet there are no fears of a contract holdout with safety Landon Collins, and no stress about the situation like there always seems to be with Odell Beckham, Jr. Collins has been with the team all spring. At no point did the Giants flirt with the idea of trading him. And no one has ever thought the two sides were headed in the wrong direction.

But the truth is, just like Beckham, Collins heads into his contract season with something to prove before he lands the big-money deal he desires. And before they give him that lucrative contract extension, the Giants want to make sure he's still the player and leader that they've always expected him to be.

Giants tight end Rhett Ellison played under Pat Shurmur with the Minnesota Vikings in 2016. Now that Shurmur is New York's head coach, he is growing more familiar with Shurmur's approach.

When Shurmur was Minnesota's tight ends coach in 2016 and spent time as interim offensive coordinator that same season, Ellison's numbers were miniscule; he only had nine catches for 57 yards in 15 games.

But last year, Ellison's first season with the Giants, the Vikings ranked 10th in the league in passing yards per game and points per game, and seventh in rushing yards per game, en route to the NFC championship game thanks to Shurmur's offense.

Giants head coach Pat Shurmur said it's "possible" WR Odell Beckham Jr. will be fully cleared to participate in the team's mandatory minicamp next week, per SNY's Ralph Vacchiano. 

Beckham, along with Damon "Snacks" Harrison, was not present for the team's OTA on Monday as was the story last week as well. However, Shurmur expects both players to be at the start of mandatory minicamp on June 12. 

The 24-year-old receiver has been participating in individual drills when attending Giants practices, but has yet to see the field in full contract team drills. 

The Giants added some tight end depth on Monday as they signed TE Garrett Dickerson to their roster, the team announced. 

Dickerson was a participant at the Giants' rookie minicamp, and head coach Pat Shumur said he impressed the team enough to give him a shot on the active roster. 

"Dickerson showed us he had smarts and instincts...we liked what we saw when we had him in here for rookie minicamp," Shurmur said at the Giants' OTA on Monday.