Do the Giants NEED to sign OBJ? Dan Graziano says it depends on Malik Nabers 👀 | NFL Live

0:00 was announced earlier today that the first Sunday night football game

0:03 of the season will be between the Cowboys and the Giants in New York.

0:07 It'll be the first time we see the Giants during the John Harbaugh era.

0:11 And it's been a busy off season for the Big Blue

0:13 with a number of roster changes in year one under Harbaugh,

0:17 including bringing in some former Ravens like Isaiah likely and Patrick Ricard.

0:21 The team also shipped Dexter Lawrence to Cincinnati prior to the draft where

0:26 they snagged one of their two top 10 picks in last month's draft,

0:29 taking Ohio State linebacker Arll Reese fifth overall.

0:33 The Reese pick was one that Harbaugh was noticeably happy about on draft night.

0:38 All right, the Tate.

0:41 Yep.

0:42 That's awesome.

0:43 Yeah.

0:44 YEAH.

0:45 YES, SIR.

0:47 WOO.

0:49 We got our guy.

0:50 We had this conversation, didn't we?

0:52 Yes, sir.

0:52 We did.

0:52 Let's do it.

0:53 We said We said God was going to make this happen and he did.

0:56 Yes, sir.

0:58 He He said that.

0:59 Yeah.

0:59 With his chest.

1:00 Like you could tell how excited he was, Mina,

1:02 that Arl Reese is going to be a part of this defense.

1:04 There are a lot of changes in New York this off season.

1:06 So, what do you think about their plan thus far?

1:11 Yeah, I think a major priority for New York, correctly so,

1:15 was fixing the run defense that was amongst

1:18 the worst in the entire NFL last year.

1:21 Stat that honestly shocked me was they allowed 75 explosive runs,

1:26 which was 10 more than the next closest defense.

1:30 By comparison, the Super Bowl champs Seattle allowed just 28.

1:34 And when you allow that many explosive runs, meaning 10 yards or more,

1:37 it's a failure at all three levels up front at the linebacker group,

1:41 cornerbacks struggling with missed tackles as well.

1:44 But linebacker was clearly the point of emphasis for this team

1:48 bringing in Tummaine Edmonds and then Arville Reese who you saw there.

1:52 John Harbaugh knows good linebackers.

1:53 He saw quite a few in Baltimore.

1:55 And I think he understands the importance

1:57 and the impact that Arll can have playing off

2:00 the ball in New York in trying to stop

2:03 what was honestly a major major issue last year.

2:06 I said at the top that it allowed teams to avoid the Giants pass rush,

2:10 which was good, but it's hard to rush

2:12 the passer when you're never in third and long.

2:14 So, I do think run defense was a priority and one

2:17 that we will see improve this year in New York.

2:21 I think when you ask what you think John

2:23 Harbaugh's impact is going to be on the Giants,

2:25 I think the answer is foundational.

2:28 He is going to build out the kind of defense that he wants.

2:32 Right now, Arll Ree plays offball linebacker for them because because they

2:35 are set at pass rusher and Arll Reese is really good at that.

2:38 Maybe someday he evolves into the kind of player that can

2:40 help their pass rush when that becomes a greater need.

2:43 But John Harbaugh is not going to tolerate

2:46 75 explosive runs given up by by his defense.

2:50 Uh he'll continue to make changes until stuff like that stops happening.

2:54 And I think that's what you're seeing the way he's building it out.

2:57 They pick Arll Reese at five.

2:59 Kind of a a lucky break.

3:00 They didn't expect him to be there.

3:02 At 10, they had Caleb DS teed up with the defense all set to go.

3:05 They end up taking the offensive tackle who's

3:07 going to play guard for them as a rookie.

3:10 just sort of Harbaugh building out like

3:11 the the the nittygritty fundamental parts of this that he

3:15 wants to be the foundation for the team

3:17 and I think a lot of their offseason moves uh

3:20 you've seen that we know what Jackson Dark

3:21 can be spectacular if Malik Neighbors comes back healthy

3:24 uh obviously spectacular but it's the basics I think

3:28 where Harbaugh really wanted to attack this off seasonason

3:30 yeah the investment in the trenches from Arville Ree

3:33 to CC Maui Noah we know that they are bolstering

3:36 what's going on up front but there's been a rumor

3:38 this offseason we've been following ing a potential reunion.

3:40 Odell Beckham Jr.

3:41 may be going back to the Giants.

3:43 John Harbaugh spoke about that possibility over the weekend.

3:47 It's got to be right for both PE parties.

3:50 And you know, Odell wants to be the kind of player that can make a difference.

3:54 You know, I'm pretty sure that he can

3:56 make a team in the National Football League, you know, right now.

4:00 But can he make a difference?

4:01 You know, and is it something he wants to do?

4:03 And is his body going to hold up in the way he wants it to?

4:05 And all those things are questions that need

4:07 to get answered for any anybody at that age.

4:09 You know, now you know Odell, he's confident, man.

4:12 He's confident.

4:13 He's working hard and he believes in himself.

4:15 So, I think we'll just play it out over the next

4:17 month and into training camp and see where we're at.

4:21 So, John Harbaugh obviously confident that Odell Beckham Jr.

4:25 can make any team in the NFL.

4:26 Can he make this team graz?

4:28 What are you hearing about where things stand between Odell and the Giants?

4:33 Yeah, he can.

4:34 I I I a couple of weeks ago this sounded like it was on the verge

4:37 of happening and obviously it hasn't yet and you

4:39 hear John Harbaugh talk about where things stand.

4:43 He references training camp.

4:44 I don't think a player in Odell's situation uh is in a hurry

4:47 to to hustle in and get there for mandatory mini camp in June.

4:51 So I think this is something that probably

4:53 comes together if at all in June or July.

4:56 I think you know a lot of it will

4:58 depend on Malik Neighbors and his recovery from injury.

5:01 Is that a spot where the Giants have a need?

5:03 Odell Beckham didn't play last year.

5:05 The last time we saw him,

5:06 he was not the kind of player that was a difference maker.

5:09 Good player and and he can do what they need him to do.

5:12 But what would the role be?

5:14 What would the need be?

5:15 These are the kinds of questions I think get

5:17 fleshed out here over the next month or so.

5:19 And Hawk, yeah, Graz is talking about

5:20 the need because we know that Malik Neighbors

5:22 likely not ready for the start of the season

5:24 given when he got injured last year.

5:26 So, as you pair this together,

5:27 like what do you think about a potential reunion of OBJ in New York?

5:32 I love the story.

5:33 I think OBJ could absolutely make a team.

5:35 Has a veteran presence.

5:36 He understands.

5:37 He's worked really, really hard since the last

5:39 time we've seen him in an NFL uniform.

5:41 And I think to Graz's point, like the training camp,

5:44 the offseason stuff is kind of a moot point of someone of his caliber.

5:47 To that end, I don't know about the kind of impact he would make on the Giants.

5:51 I think there are other teams where Odell makes

5:54 a better impact um as far as a player, but what the Giants need,

5:57 regardless of where Malik Neighbors is, is if you're going to bring a veteran

6:00 in, he needs to actually move this offense forward,

6:03 especially with so many young pieces.

6:05 Um I think of Stefon Diggs, again, free agent.

6:09 You see what he's done for for for Drake May a year ago

6:12 being like a stability weapon for that offense for the New England Patriots.

6:17 If they're able to get into that what I would call a sweep

6:20 stakes for an older receiver who was obviously very much still productive,

6:23 came off an ACL a year ago and still had the season he had.

6:27 Someone like that makes an impact for the Giants.

6:29 A veteran receiver plugs right in as a number two behind Malik

6:32 Neighbors who is going to need somebody to take the pressure off

6:36 of him because everyone understands as it pertains to the pass game regardless

6:39 of where he is with with his injury it will go through Neighbors.

6:43 So he's going to need that balance.

6:44 So we keep talking about Odell Beckham Jr's age.

6:46 So, he's 33 years old.

6:48 He has not played a game since December 2024 with the Dolphins.

6:51 He also spent the 2023 season in Baltimore with John Harbaugh.

6:55 So, maybe a reunion coming.

6:57 And since we're on the topic of another former NFL wide receiver,

7:01 uh, one tweeted out that he's still got it.

7:04 Oh, yeah.

7:04 That's our very own Andrew Hawkins said, quote,

7:07 "I am a 40-year-old former wide receiver three,

7:10 and I promise you that most division one

7:12 defensive backs cannot cover me right now." Um,

7:15 I believe there was a $500,000 offer on the table.

7:18 Hawk, you care to explain this one, please?

7:22 The my Twitter is supposed to be completely separate

7:25 from the professional Andrew Hawkins that we see on NFL Live.

7:28 But I will say, yes, I am a former NFL player that has a former

7:32 NFL players mindset that still believes he is He-Man.

7:35 And I am willing to put that to the test.

7:37 I like I work out with my son.

7:39 I'm out here in on football fields across South Florida.

7:43 And all the response I get is, man, you still got it.

7:45 And I don't know if it's if there them being nice, right?

7:49 But I'd like the competition in me to start to put this to the test.

7:52 So if anybody out there wants to step up,

7:54 we have plenty of camera people here at ESPN.

7:57 Yeah.

7:57 Mino, you look like you've got something there.

7:59 You want to try this with Hawk?

8:01 No.

8:02 Just when you said they say you still got it,

8:05 are these children who are giving you this feedback or Yes, these are 14.

8:11 Is it possible we can see some video?

8:12 a chance.

8:14 You know what?

8:14 Let's get some footage.

8:16 I wonder if could stay within five yards of you.

8:18 I know you open this up to, you know, college DBs out there,

8:21 but we've got somebody here who might want

8:23 to take advantage of some of these sweep stakes,

8:25 but nonetheless, Hawk, good luck to you.

8:27 I know you said that you're in this until your Achilles ruptures.

8:30 So hopefully that does not happen if you end up challenging somebody.

8:34 I could cut one of my feet off, Courtney,

8:36 and and and Orlowski won't be able to stay within five yards of me.