The Giants reportedly rethought their stance on trading Odell Beckham Jr because of the Patriots and it's another example of the influence Bill Belichick has over the NFL
- The New York Giants were reportedly close to trading away star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in 2018.
- According to ProFootballTalk, the Giants decided against the move after hearing that the Patriots were interested in bringing him to New England.
- It's not the first time the looming interest of the Patriots has influenced the thinking of other teams in the NFL.
Across the NFL, teams are often trying to be more like the New England Patriots.
Whether that means hiring one of Belichick's assistants or adopting a version of the "Patriot Way," it's clear that other teams in the league want to replicate New England's formula for success.
The Patriots influence on the league is so strong that it can have an effect on the trade market for some of the biggest talents in the league.
As NFL insider Chris Simms explained to ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio, the New York Giants were almost ready to trade away star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. in 2018, only to reconsider when they found out the Patriots were interested.
Because the Patriots thought Beckham was good enough for them, the Giants had reason to wait on their decision to deal him away.
It's not the first time the Patriots have shown such influence over thinking across the league. In 2016, an unnamed free agent drawing no interest reportedly wound up receiving calls from four other teams as soon as the Patriots showed interest.
Faulting the Giants for the logic is hard. As Florio points out, the Patriots have had success throughout the Brady-Belichick era trading for receivers. Randy Moss, Wes Welker, Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan, and more, all had huge roles with the teams that their former employers were forced to watch in frustration.
Rather than suffer a similar fate, Simms says the Giants decided on keeping Beckham in New York. Given the success of the Patriots in the past, it was probably a smart move.