Earlier this week, the Minnesota Vikings made headlines when they signed veteran wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. to the team's practice squad.
Beckham is far from the player he was when he began his NFL career with three straight Pro Bowl selections, but the Vikings believe he could potentially add some value to their receiver room this season.
Minnesota just signed Beckham on Wednesday, so many have been wondering if it's still a little too soon for the team to elevate him to the active roster and have him play on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.
On Friday, the Vikings revealed their final Week 5 injury report and listed on it with questionable designations were Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison.
After revealing the designations for Jefferson and Addison, Minnesota head coach Kevin O'Connell explained how their game status for Sunday will likely determine whether or not Beckham could end up getting some actual snaps against the Saints.
"If we elevate [Beckham] and both [Jefferson and Addison are active on Sunday], we probably
wouldn't have [Beckham] in uniform. He would just be elevated."
So, at least for this week, Beckham feels more like an insurance plan if either Jefferson or Addison is unable to suit up on Sunday.
Minnesota's plans for the former New York Giants receiver could change in the near future, but for this weekend, it doesn't sound like they're ready to just throw him right into the fire.
If active on Sunday, how big of an impact could Odell Beckham Jr. have on the Vikings?
Let's not dance around the likely answer with this one.
If the Vikings end up activating Beckham for Sunday's contest in New Orleans, fans shouldn't expect much from a 33-year-old receiver who was just signed on Wednesday and has caught a total of nine passes since the start of the 2024 season.
Is Beckham capable of making a few plays for Minnesota this weekend? Yes, he absolutely is. But it's better to keep expectations low for him on Sunday if the Vikings do indeed end up needing to activate him due to Jefferson or Addison being unable to suit up.
It seems like Jefferson is probably going to be active in New Orleans, especially since it will be his first opportunity to play in front of friends and family in his home state of Louisiana since entering the NFL in 2020.
Addison is the one who seems to have the lower chance of playing between the two. He didn't practice on Wednesday due to a hamstring injury, and then he was a limited participant in both of Minnesota's practices on Thursday and Friday.
We don't know the severity of Addison's hamstring injury, so it could be minor. But if the Vikings believe they can get a win on Sunday without him, then keeping him on the sideline might be the smartest decision to make.
If that happens, then, based on what O'Connell said on Friday, Beckham will not only be active in New Orleans, but he will likely get some actual snaps with the offense as well.
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