Odell Beckham Jr.’s absence draws national attention.

New York Giants receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is in the news again, and unfortunately in the court of public opinion, it’s not for the right reasons.

Beckham was a no-show for the start of the team’s OTAs Monday, according to a report by NJ Advance Media’s Dan Duggan, who also reported that Beckham “was not a regular participant” in the five weeks since the team’s offseason program began April 17.

Since that first report emerged, ESPN’s Jordan Raanan has since reported that Beckham, who is believed to be in California where he has a trainer, will be joining his teammates Thursday (the team has an OTA scheduled for Tuesday but is off Wednesday).

The absence of Beckham, one of the Giants most high-profiled players, has many people buzzing, especially after his late-season antics in which he and a group of receivers jetted off to Miami to party on a day off before preparations began for the team’s first postseason appearance since 2011, an occurrence that created a distraction for the team and which some feel contributed to a forgettable performance by a receiving group.

Beckham also allegedly punched a hole in the wall outside of the visiting locker room at Lambeau Field after the Giants frustrating loss and elimination from the postseason. The next day, he came under fire again when general manager Jerry Reese, in his year-end press conference, said that Beckham needed to “grow up.”

I will be workin harder than I ever have, to be the best that I ever have been. I’m more motivated now then I have ever been. — Odell Beckham Jr (@OBJ_3) April 24, 2017

Words are only that, so its time for action. To the LOYAL Giants fans out there. I’m lettin u kno now, this will be somethin uve never seen. — Odell Beckham Jr (@OBJ_3) April 24, 2017

I’m in the lab. Head down, my fire has been lit and the world continues to fuel it. It’s time to be exactly who u are, I’m goin for it all. — Odell Beckham Jr (@OBJ_3) April 24, 2017

With all that’s happened, Beckham’s absence from the start of OTAs probably isn’t as big of a deal as some would like to make it. Here’s why.

OTAs are voluntary

Yes, there is a reason why teams hold OTAs and yes there is a benefit to attending them. But they are also voluntary in nature, and, under the terms of the CBA, are watered down given there is no contact. That means a physical receiver like Beckham can’t work against press coverage he’s sure to see during the year because press coverage is not allowed.

OTAs are “structured”

I went back and looked at my notes from last year when the media was given access to the first OTA practice.

That first practice was nothing more than a series of drills, with very little offense vs. defense mixed in. Head coach Ben McAdoo said at the time the plan was to gradually build things up to allow all the new faces to become acclimated to one another.

The Giants have a lot of new faces again this year, and that process of building things up still needs to take place. Perhaps Beckham, who has been in the league for three years, feels it’s better to come in when the action starts to more closely resemble football and instead do his drill work with his personal trainers, who aren’t governed by CBA rules.

OTAs aren’t compensated

Ok, let’s actually clarify that. Most players when they sign a contract, get a workout bonus as an incentive to be around the team. While that might sound outrageous because, hey, why should a team have to coax its players to put in the work to get ready for the season, that’s just how it’s been for year around the league as a way to put extra cash in the players’ pocket since their contracts are rarely fully guaranteed.

Beckham, who is still on his rookie contract, had no such workout bonus included. That’s not to say that money would have made a difference, but if all it takes is for someone to show up to 90 percent of the workouts to pick up an extra $100,000, something tells me most guys wouldn’t think twice about doing so.

Beckham isn’t a “leader”

For as much as fans are hoping to turn Beckham into a team leader, that’s exactly who he is.

Beckham “leads” by his performance on the field, not necessarily by his actions off it, as one might expect of a “leader.”

In fact, he’s probably more of an innovator, a guy who by all indications, seems to approach training differently.

Regardless of what you think about him, the fact is he’s been one of the best receivers the Giants have had in a very, very long time. So clearly, he’s been doing something right all this time, even if that “’something right” doesn’t necessarily follow what it expected.

The Bottom Line

Does Beckham need to grow up, as Reese suggested? Absolutely. Punching holes in walls and banging your head against a wall in frustration is not only dangerous, it’s also counterproductive and is not part of being a professional.

And yes, Beckham still needs to figure out how to keep his emotions under control to where he’s not hurting his team –of his 17 career penalties, seven have been for some degree of unsportsmanlike conduct.

But missing a few voluntary workouts, especially given that other high-profiled teammates haven’t always had perfect attendance during the offseason program, isn’t a big deal, assuming those absences stay within the voluntary activities and don’t spill into him missing mandatory team organized events like the upcoming minicamp or training camp.