Eli glad Odell attending Giants' program: 'Important for the guys to be here'

Reportedly disgruntled wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. attended the opening day of the New York Giants' offseason conditioning program Monday, and the importance of the gesture wasn't lost on quarterback Eli Manning.

"I think it's important for the guys to be here, especially with a new offense ... When guys start missing these meetings, you get behind and you have to re-teach it and slow things down for guys to catch up," Manning said when asked about Beckham's presence, according to Ralph Vacchiano of SNY.

Rampant trade speculation and the threat of a holdout had many questioning whether Beckham would be joining the Giants for their offseason programs.

The star was noticeably absent from Manning's workouts with the team's receiving corps at Duke University last week. The veteran signal-caller said he wasn't concerned, as Beckham is still recovering from a broken ankle that cost him the majority of the 2017 season.

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