The Minnesota Vikings signed Odell Beckham Jr. to their practice squad on Wednesday, and it probably made fans say “Whoa,” when they got the notification on their phones.
One of the NFL’s most electric wide receivers of the past decade, Beckham’s career is fresh in the minds of fans who either drafted him in fantasy football or watched him make a highlight-reel grab against the Dallas Cowboys in 2014. With the Vikings offense struggling, fans may also envision him as the latest iteration of the “Three Deep” poster, which has been infinitely created since Jake Reed left in 1999.
But beyond the name recognition, Beckham isn’t the same player, and the tweets and emergency podcasts may need to take a back seat to find a real solution to the Vikings’ depth at receiver.
Minnesota Vikings aren’t getting the version of Odell Beckham Jr. that fans remember
In a vacuum, bringing in Beckham is a good idea for the Vikings. Justin Jefferson’s ankle injury has thrown off the passing game since he was hurt in Week 3, and no other Vikings receiver has stepped up in his absence. While Jordan Addison did haul in a 41-yard touchdown catch when Jefferson went down, Jauan Jennings, Myles Price, and Tai Felton have been nonexistent and haven’t created enough separation for Kyler Murray to hunt big plays downfield.
Beckham’s skill set seems like a better fit for what Kevin O’Connell would like Murray to do. An 11-year veteran, Beckham has averaged 13.9 yards per reception and showed an ability to get it done with the Baltimore Ravens in 2023, making 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns. He also has experience in a scheme similar to the Vikings’ offense, joining the Los Angeles Rams for their 2021 Super Bowl run with O’Connell as offensive coordinator.
Since he was added to the practice squad, the Vikings face virtually no risk in bringing him in, and having a three-time Pro Bowler and former champion in the room could do wonders for some of the team. But most fans probably aren’t looking at what Beckham is compared to what he was.
Beckham made an immediate impact as the New York Giants' 12th overall pick in the 2014 NFL Draft, catching 91 passes for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns. He set off one of the greatest three-year stretches in NFL history, catching 288 passes for 4,122 yards and 35 touchdowns. After tearing his ACL in 2017, he rebounded, catching 77 passes for 1,052 yards and six touchdowns.
Beckham was traded to the Cleveland Browns in 2018 as the Giants moved towards a rebuild, and while he had another good season, he did so playing through a sports hernia that required offseason surgery. Since then, he’s torn his ACL twice, including in the second half of Super Bowl 56, and ESPN’s Kevin Siefert pointed out that he has failed to record a catch in three of the past five seasons, although he made the Giants’ roster out of this year’s training camp before his release.
Vikings may be chasing Beckham’s past after practice squad signing
With that, Beckham’s release is a lot like playing Madden. You probably remember how much fun it was chucking bombs from Daunte Culpepper to Randy Moss back in the day. But fire up the game today, and you’ll see a glitchy masterpiece loaded with microtransactions that will make you miss the PlayStation 2. Heck, you may have already placed Beckham on the Vikings in your franchise mode, but he’s not the same player.
That’s kind of like how Beckham is now as a receiver that can provide solid depth but doesn’t have the “OMG” factor he had during his first stint in New York or even his first season with the Browns,
It still won’t stop Vikings fans from remembering how Minnesota was rumored to be interested in trading for Beckham in 2020 or that they sent private representatives to watch Beckham work out as a free agent in 2023. Or how Vikings fans have dreamed of an LSU fantasy that began when Beckham handed Jefferson a stack after winning a national championship at his alma mater.
Football can be weird sometimes, and perhaps Beckham has something left in the tank. But most likely, Beckham’s signing is big on name recognition but will be light on impact as he joins the Vikings’ practice squad.
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