The hit that sent Odell Beckham Jr. to the ground, racked with pain, is a reason and a reminder why he and his camp want a long-term contract extension sooner rather than later.
One play can alter a season or a career and although Beckham came away from Monday night’s incident with only a sprained left ankle, he must weigh the risk of serious injury and the fact he will make only $1.8 million in 2017.
If he does not get a mega-deal before the season, Beckham will consider acquiring an insurance policy, possibly for more than $100 million, according to Yahoo Sports. A policy in excess of $100 million could cost upwards of $600,000.
This is not uncommon with top-tier professional athletes — sometimes they insure only a specific body part — but the magnitude of this potential insurance policy highlights where Beckham’s camp believes he ranks among the elite of the elite.
No contract talks between the Giants and Beckham have taken place but co-owner John Mara has said the team will offer a lucrative deal to the star receiver at some point, with the goal of keeping Beckham in a Giants uniform for his entire career.
No doubt, Beckham is hoping to become the first non-quarterback to reach the $100 million mark. Prior to training camp, he said, “I’ve gotten to a point in my life where I’m like, there’s no need to not talk about it. I believe that I will be, hopefully not just the highest-paid receiver in the league, but the highest paid, period.”
Mara scoffed at that, saying a quarterback will always be the highest-paid player in the NFL. Raiders quarterback Derek Carr currently holds that distinction with a five-year, $125 million contract. Mara wants to make Beckham wildly wealthy, but until that happens, the risk of injury is always present and thus, the need for insurance against injury is real.