PHOENIX — Brian Daboll and OBJ are texting buddies.
The Giants’ head coach admitted Tuesday that he has talked recently with free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr., who co-owner John Mara is “in favor” of re-signing.
“Yeah, maybe once or twice,” Daboll said with a smirk at the NFC Coaches Breakfast. “I shouldn’t say ‘talked.’ I texted … It hasn’t come in the last week or so. But we’ll see.”
Daboll, Mara and GM Joe Schoen famously wined and dined Beckham in December during his midseason free agent tour.
And while Aaron Rodgers and the Jets are a threat to out-recruit OBJ back to the Big Apple with a better contract, the Giants’ principal figures are clearly invested in a potential reunion at the right price.
Daboll smiled when asked directly if he wants Beckham.
“Those are conversations that are private,” he said.
That wasn’t a no.
“He’s a good young man,” Daboll said. “It was a good dinner [in December]. [We] had a good conversation … I think any decision that we make, we’ll do it together. Joe and I will sit down, and we’ll talk about it, and it’s gotta make sense for everybody.”
The Chiefs, Bills, Ravens and Rams also are considered threats to sign Beckham, 30, who won a Super Bowl with the L.A. Rams in 2021 but sat out all of last season recovering from his second torn ACL sustained in the big game.
He went on a free agent tour in the winter teasing a potential late-season or playoff signing with a contender, including the Dallas Cowboys, but he wasn’t healthy enough to play football yet.
He therefore waited until free agency to try to create a bidding war.
An explosive market has not developed as Beckham had hoped, as he looks to get paid for his next comeback. So that has kept the Giants in the running.
Schoen even admitted Tuesday that while the Giants are trying to stop borrowing into the future to pay players now, “at some point it’s probably gonna have to happen” and “you can get creative with the cap in certain situations if you need to.”
That doesn’t mean Beckham to the Giants will definitely happen.
But it’s no secret that OBJ would love to be back in New York. And now it’s no secret that Mara would like to see it happen, and that Daboll remains in direct touch with a player he would like to coach.