Braxton Berrios Signs Giants Contract After Odell Beckham Jr., JuJu Smith-Schuster Workout Rumors

The New York Giants are signing Braxton Berrios to a one-year deal after hosting a group of veteran wideouts for a workout on Monday, agents Drew Rosenhaus and Robert Bailey told ESPN's Adam Schefter.

Schefter previously reported that Odell Beckham Jr. would work out with the team, with JuJu Smith-Schuster and Berrios also attending the workout. The Giants are also working out veteran wideout Anthony Miller, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

According to NFL insider Josina Anderson, Beckham's workout went "reallllly well."

However, the team opted to sign Berrios, who has experience playing in the New York area following a four-year run with the Jets.

The Giants' need for some wide receiver depth stems from multiple situations, including the fact that wideout and return man Gunner Olszewski suffered a season-ending Achilles tear on Friday.

Additionally, No. 1 receiver Malik Nabers' status for the start of the regular season remains unclear after he tore his ACL last September.

During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on May 22, Schefter suggested that Nabers may not be ready for Week 1, saying, "I just don't like the way that any of this sounds. There's a second knee surgery. There's some scar tissue and stiffness that they need to address. It's a complicated procedure. They don't know if he'll be ready for Opening Day. It certainly sounds like, at the very least, Opening Night against the Dallas Cowboys at home is in jeopardy. And it almost feels like, at this point in time, that it would be more unlikely that he would play in that game than it is likely that he would play in that game."

Schefter's comments came after Giants head coach John Harbaugh recently told reporters that Nabers' ailment is "not a simple knee [injury]," adding, "So, um, he's in the slog of it, the grind of it, I would say. So, he's fighting through it, and he's here every day working hard at it. Just impossible to predict. I mean, the goal is to start the season and get out there sometime in training camp. That'd be the goal, and we'll see what happens."

Berrios is the most like-for-like replacement for Olszewski given his extensive experience as a kick and punt returner.

The 30-year-old veteran was named a First Team All-Pro while with the Jets in 2021, as he recorded his only career kick return touchdown that year. Berrios also set career highs in receptions (46) and receiving yardage (431) that season.

Last season, Berrios appeared in four games for the Houston Texans, making six grabs for 37 yards and returning three punts and three kickoffs.

OBJ would have been the most intriguing addition given his history with the franchise.

The Giants originally selected Beckham 12th overall in the 2014 NFL draft, and he spent his first five seasons with the organization.

Beckham was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2014, and he was a Pro Bowler in each of his first three seasons, as well as a Second Team All-Pro in both 2015 and 2016.

Over his first three campaigns, Beckham had at least 90 catches, 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns each year.

Beckham departed the Giants after the 2018 season, and he never achieved the same level of success in stints with the Cleveland Browns, Los Angeles Rams, Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins.

However, he did play a significant role in the Rams winning the Super Bowl at the end of the 2021 season, as he had 21 receptions for 288 yards and two touchdowns during their playoff run.

The 33-year-old Beckham did not play in the NFL last season, and his most recent action occurred in 2024 with the Dolphins when he recorded nine grabs for 55 yards in nine games.

Smith-Schuster, 29, is also a notable name as a one-time Pro Bowler and one-time Super Bowl champion.

He had 111 catches for 1,426 yards and seven touchdowns during his second NFL season with the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2018, and while he hasn't sniffed those numbers since then, he has been a reliable option at various points.

In 2022, Smith-Schuster was the top wideout on a Chiefs team that won the Super Bowl, finishing the season with 78 catches for 933 yards and three touchdowns.

With the Chiefs last season, the 29-year-old Smith-Schuster had 33 receptions for 345 yards and one touchdown, while playing in all 17 games.

Smith-Schuster could have made sense as an option, given he played under current Giants offensive coordinator Matt Nagy while both were with the Kansas City Chiefs. Miller is also familiar with the Giants' offense, having played under Nagy with the Chicago Bears from 2018 to 2020 when Nagy was head coach.

The 31-year-old Miller's greatest success undoubtedly came while Nagy was his head coach.

Over his first three NFL seasons, Miller averaged approximately 45 catches for 521 yards and four touchdowns per year. Since then, Miller has a total of just seven catches for 41 yards and one touchdown.

He last saw game action in 2024, appearing in two contests with the Ravens, and he spent part of last season on Baltimore's practice squad.

Berrios will compete with Darius Slayton, Darnell Mooney, Calvin Austin III, Jalin Hyatt, Isaiah Hodgins and rookie third-round pick Malachi Fields for a roster spot and potentially for playing time at wide receiver once the season starts.