Giants Exercise Odell Beckham Jr.’s Fifth-Year Option Ahead Of NFL Draft

The New York Giants have exercised Odell Beckham Jr.’s fifth-year contract option.

Giants pick up Odell Beckham Jr.’s Fifth-Year Option

The team renewed its commitment to Beckham on Monday by picking up the wide receiver’s fifth-year option, according to NFL Network’s Kimbery Jones, who cited a source informed of the Giants’ decisions.

Jones reported an official announcement is expected before the 2017 Draft begins in Philadelphia on Thursday.

The Giants selected Beckham as the 12th overall pick out of LSU in the 2014 draft. In three seasons in New York, the wideout has recorded an impressive 288 catches for 4,122 yards and 35 touchdowns, which makes him one of the most evident candidates to have the option picked up.

Beckham took to Twitter on Monday afternoon to express how “blessed” he felt, and to explain that he is working harder than ever this offseason to further improve his performance for the upcoming NFL year.

There are three NFL picks ahead of Beckham who have yet to get their options exercised: Minnesota Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr, Lions tight end Eric Ebron and Titans tackle Taylor Lewan.

The deadline to pick up any player’s contract option is May 3.

Although certain NFL teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars have not yet made decisions regarding the exercising of some of their players’ (Blake Bortles, for example) options, most of the top first-round selections have now had their fifth year picked up. Except for Lewan and Barr, all of the veteran stars in the top half of the 2014 first round have been signed to the extra year.

In other major football news, Michigan safety Jabrill Peppers tested positive for a dilute sample at this year’s NFL combine, according to NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport.

ESPN first reported the news.

“Peppers went to the combine. He was sick after flying there from San Diego. He has a history of cramping,” a CAA spokesman told ESPN. “Peppers was being pumped with fluids, drinking 8-10 bottles of water before he went to bed, because he was the first guy to work out two days for the LBs and DBs. He had to go through that first day, come back on second day, and that was the fear. So Peppers was pounding water and under the weather. He never failed a drug test in his life, nor tested positive before for any substance.”

Another major NFL announcement on Monday was the retirement of offensive tackle Jake Long. 

The No.1 overall pick in the 2008 Draft, who will be 32 in May, revealed he would be stepping away from football in a statement on Twitter on Monday, almost exactly nine years after he was selected before Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan.

Long last played in a few games for the Minnesota Vikings last season, and said part of the reason why he is retiring is that his body is wearing out. The tackle, who sustained several torn ACLs, has not played more than ten games in a season since 2013.

The veteran made the Pro Bowl in each of his first four seasons and was first-team All-Pro in 2010. Long also played for the Miami Dolphins, then-St. Louis Rams, and Falcons throughout his nine-year career.

GREEN BAY, WI – OCTOBER 09: Odell Beckham Jr. #13 of the New York Giants catches a pass for a touchdown in front of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix #21 of the Green Bay Packers during the second half of a game at Lambeau Field on October 9, 2016 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)