4 realities the 2022 Vikings and their fans have to face

Beckham isn’t signing with the Vikings

This is a rumor that won’t go away, but the Vikings and their fans need to accept that Odell Beckham Jr. or any other big-name nearly-retired players aren’t going to join the Purple. All the talk about his and Justin Jefferson‘s post-game talks continues to add fuel to the speculation, but it simply isn’t going to come to fruition.

Beckham’s addition would be an explosive element to Kevin O’Connell’s offense, and he’d be a significant upgrade over K.J. Osborn. He also is familiar with the scheme, so he’d be pretty much ready to go the first week he signs with the club. Those are all fun things to think about, but it needs to stop because this isn’t happening.

The first reason is the Vikings just don’t have the kind of cap space to bring in a big name like Beckham. It’s possible Rob Brzezinski could make it work as he’s a wizard at managing the cap, but it could come at the cost of letting go of a younger player who still has plenty of upside in his career.

Another factor is that Kwesi Adofo-Mensah’s track record shows he goes for much cheaper options. Look at the names he’s signed during the season; Duke Shelley, Theo Jackson, Khyiris Tonga, Benton Whitley, and James O’Shaughnessy. Those are guys most fans have to Google to figure out who the heck they even are, and Beckham just doesn’t fit that mold.

Lastly, Beckham’s recent incident on his plane ride home definitely tarnishes his value, and bringing in a guy with some off-the-field baggage like that just doesn’t vibe with the current aura of this team.

While it’s fun to think about, the reality is that Beckham, or any other big-name free agent, isn’t coming to help the Vikings out in their stretch run.