Veteran NFL receiver Odell Beckham Jr. has joined the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad.
The move came about a week after he was released by the New York Giants.
The key point is that this is a practice-squad contract, not a return to the active roster.
3-Line Summary
1. Beckham Jr. has joined the Vikings’ practice squad
2. He received a new opportunity after being released by the Giants
3. Whether he plays depends on promotion to the active roster
He Joined the Vikings After Being Released by the Giants
The Vikings announced Wednesday that they had signed Beckham Jr. and receiver Ja’Shaun Jones to the practice squad. Beckham Jr. is 33 years old and had been looking for a new team after the Giants released him on September 29.
According to Yahoo Sports, he appeared in three games after returning to the Giants but did not record a reception. He played 20 offensive snaps in total, including only 6 in his final game. NBC Sports reported that Beckham Jr. expressed dissatisfaction with the Giants’ release process.
This contract does not mean that he will immediately be included on the Vikings’ game-day roster. He must train with the practice squad and show the team how he can contribute, and promotion to the active roster is required for him to appear in an actual game.
A Connection From His Rams Days Has Been Renewed
Beckham Jr. worked with Kevin O’Connell, the current Vikings head coach, on the Los Angeles Rams in 2021. At the time, O’Connell was the Rams’ offensive coordinator. In 8 regular-season games with the Rams, Beckham Jr. recorded 27 receptions, 305 yards, and 5 touchdowns.
He added 21 receptions, 288 yards, and 2 touchdowns in the playoffs that same season, and recorded a 17-yard touchdown early in Super Bowl LVI against the Cincinnati Bengals. However, he suffered an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in that game.
The Vikings organization explained that Beckham Jr. is already familiar not only with Coach O’Connell but also with offensive coordinator Wes Phillips. Unlike a player who must learn a new system from the beginning, having coaches he previously worked with is meaningful as he begins competing on the practice squad.
A Career With 575 Receptions Does Not Guarantee Anything
Beckham Jr. has recorded 575 receptions, 7,987 yards (7987), and 59 touchdowns in 122 career games. However, this season he joined a new team without having gone through the offseason, training camp, or preseason.
The Vikings are 4-0 and preparing to face the New Orleans Saints in Week 5. The status of the team’s starting receiver Justin Jefferson remains uncertain after he missed the game against the Miami Dolphins with an ankle sprain. Beckham Jr.’s signing is better viewed as a move to add options to the receiving corps than as confirmation of an immediate reinforcement.
References
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