When Odell Beckham was entering the final year of his contract, he stayed mostly quiet as rumors spread about a possible holdout if he didn’t get a big contract.

When Landon Collins was entering the final year of his contract, he declared he wanted to spend his whole career in one place.

Two very different approaches. And still neither Pro Bowler will be with the Giants entering the 2019 season.

Sterling Shepard is the next Giants star entering the final year of his contract — he is a bargain at $1.2 million this season — and there already are clues about what could be in store next offseason from developments around the NFL this month.

Let’s explain:

1. The Collins contract negotiation: The Giants never entered serious big-money extension negotiations with Collins, the first pick of the second round in the 2015 NFL Draft. Because he was not a first-round pick, Collins hit free agency after four seasons instead of five, which will happen to Shepard, too.

Collins was a spokesperson in the locker room, active in the community and a Pro Bowl player. But he played a position (safety) de-valued by general manager Dave Gettleman.

Shepard checks the first two of those three boxes and could receive the number of targets necessary to check the third this season, but Gettleman doesn’t appear to value wide receivers, either.

So, Shepard must be thinking he is auditioning for 31 other teams in 2019. Why would the Giants negotiate with him but not Collins?

2. The Beckham trade: The Beckham trade surely is bittersweet for Shepard.

On one hand, it means opportunity to be a No. 1 receiver, which he never was going to get with an exasperated Beckham throwing his hands in the air whenever he thinks he is open.

On the other, it means goodbye to a close friend and more attention from defenses, whether in terms of matching up with the No. 1 cornerback instead of creating mismatches in the slot or just facing double teams.

In six drafts as a general manager, Gettleman only has drafted two receivers: First-round bust Kelvin Benjamin and second-round jack-of-all-trades receiver Curtis Samuel.

3. Trade rumors: It seems you are not a Giants star until trade rumors swirl around you. Beckham, Collins, Janoris Jenkins. Welcome to the club, Shep.

The Giants replaced Beckham by signing Golden Tate, who plays mostly in the slot like Shepard. He is older (30) but has been more productive (four seasons of 90-plus catches and three with 1,000-plus yards).

Here is what ESPN’s Mike Reiss wrote this weekend: Shepard is a Patriots-type receiver. Perhaps the Patriots could entice the Giants with a second-round draft pick, and then take the money they were going to invest in (Adam) Humphries and direct it toward a Shepard extension one year before he hits the market. Just thinking out loud on a potential win-win-win scenario for the two teams and Shepard.

The Patriots were one of the four teams mostly commonly linked to a Beckham trade. Will they settle for Shepard at a cheaper price?

4. Free-agent market: Look at these free-agent contracts signed by receivers in the first week of free agency: Three years for $28.5 million, three years for $29 million and four years for $36 million.

All about nine million dollars per season. For Jamison Crowder (Jets), John Brown (Bills) and Adam Humphries (Titans).

Not exactly Michael Thomas, Julio Jones and Mike Evans.

Shepard had more catches (66) and more yards (872) last season than Crowder and Brown and more yards than Humphries. Shepard, Humphries and Crowder all are age 25.

In other words, Shepard’s asking price will start at $9 million per year.

The only Giants in that ballpark in 2019 are quarterback Eli Manning, left tackle Nate Solder, linebacker Alec Ogletree, cornerback Janoris Jenkins and guard Kevin Zeitler. Ogletree (Rams) and Zeitler (Browns) signed contracts elsewhere and were acquired via trade.

But the Giants could have north of $70 million in cap space entering next offseason.

Ryan Dunleavy may be reached at rdunleavy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @rydunleavy. Find our Giants coverage on Facebook.