Nagy: Beckham 'not just a backup' despite zero targets through two games
The offensive coordinator, addressing Beckham's role for the first time this season during Thursday's media session, said the team has included him in game plans it hasn't executed and called him "one injury away" from a bigger role.
Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy said Thursday that wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is "not just a backup," giving his first on-record explanation this season for Beckham's limited role through two games.
Beckham has played 14 offensive snaps and has not been targeted through the Giants' first two games, according to Pro Football Talk.
"Odell is — he does a lot of good things well," Nagy said, according to Pro Football Talk's Michael David Smith. "We're trying to slowly package him into some things offensively. It's not that he's just a backup. There's times when, whatever it is personnel wise, we have it in the game plan and we just didn't get to it. You've got to be ready, one injury away from being in all the time. He knows that, he understands that."
Nagy's comments came during a Thursday media availability. New York Post reporter Ryan Dunleavy posted video of the exchange on X, and Bleacher Report separately reported Nagy's remarks along with the same zero-target figure.
Beckham, 33, signed with the Giants in June after missing the 2025 season. He played 11 of 69 snaps against Dallas in Week 1 and three of 58 snaps in Monday's 28-6 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, according to Pro Football Talk.