As Minnesota VIkings general manager Nolan Teasley churns the practice squad like a waiver wire-happy fantasy football manager, this week's addition of wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. was as notable as it was surprising.
Now, with Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison (hamstring) both listed as questionable, per multiple reports and later confirmed by the Vikings, Beckham has been elevated to the active roster for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints.
While it's the clear headline grabber, Beckham's elevation was not the only roster move for the Vikings on Saturday.
Wide receiver Jeshaun Jones is also being elevated from the practice squad for Sunday's game. Center Michael Jurgens and tight end Ben Yurosek have been activated from IR, and both carry no injury designation heading into Sunday's game.
The obvious question about why Beckham was brought aboard got a partial answer when news of Addison's hamstring injury surfaced on Wednesday.
Addison was a limited participant in practice on both Thursday and Friday, and of course Jefferson has been dealing with the ankle injury that sidelined him in Week 4. Neither guy was more than a limited participant in any practice this week.
Of course Beckham being elevated to the active roster for Sunday's game does not automatically mean he will suit up, as head coach Kevin O'Connell confirmed on Friday.
"I think for this week, it’s depending on how we see Sunday. But if we elevate him (Beckham), and both those guys (Jefferson and Addison) go, we probably wouldn’t have him in uniform; he would just be elevated.”
Odell Beckham Jr. is more of an insurance piece for the Vikings than anything
In one sense, burning one of Beckham's three practice squad elevations when he's hardly guaranteed to be in uniform on Sunday feels foolish.
But the Vikings need to bolster their insurance plan for the potential absence of one or both of Jefferson and Addison. It's clear Jauan Jennings can't be counted to fill a production void, and behind him, sans Beckham, there's a lack of proven, experienced options in the wide receiver room.
Beckham is also far more name than game at this stage of his career. He's now approaching 34 years old (Nov. 5), with as many seasons completely missed (due to injury or lack of interest in his services) as he has played over the last four full campaigns. The Vikings are already his second organization this season, as nostalgia wasn't enough for the New York Giants to justify keeping him around.
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If at least one of Jefferson and Addison is inactive on Sunday, with Addison feeling like the more likely of the two to be out, Beckham will presumably be in uniform. Then, how much he plays and what, if any, production he offers will be worth watching.
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