Getty Justin Jefferson #18 of the Minnesota Vikings.
Minnesota Vikings star Justin Jefferson is on a Hall-of-Fame trajectory, with four straight 1000-yard seasons and four straight Pro Bowls to start his career.
His natural ability is clear. But Jefferson also points to a significant support system that has helped him in his journey. Of the many names he dropped, free agent wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. stood out.
“I had a big list of people,” Jefferson said on “Cold As Balls” with host Kevin Hart on April 4. “One was Odell, that was one of the biggest ones. Randy Moss, of course, is definitely a top for me. … Jerry Rice, Cris Carter, Davante Adams – all of these different guys that I got to meet when I got into the league.”
Carter and Moss are good resources for a young Vikings wide receiver.
Rice is arguably the game’s greatest receiver while Adams can claim to be one of the best route runners in this generation. But Jefferson’s bond with Beckham stood out.
“Odell … was more like family,” Jefferson said. “Just him playing with my brothers, me being so close at LSU with him. We’re still having that same brotherhood, so I can call him and ask him about anything.”
Jefferson’s eldest brother Jordan played quarterback at LSU in Beckham’s first season in 2011.
Beckham played with middle brother Rickey Jefferson, a defensive back, in the former’s final collegiate campaign.
The full episode of Jefferson’s interview with Hart is set to premiere on April 9 in the 10th season of the show, which airs every Tuesday on Laugh Out Loud’s YouTube channel as well as on Hart’s Instagram.
Odell Beckham Could Be an Option for Vikings as Justin Jefferson Running Mate
GettyOdell Beckham Jr. #3 of the Baltimore Ravens.
The Vikings are at an interesting point in their transition. Their future at quarterback is unsettled. But they are far from a team looking to tank, signing several veteran players in free agency this offseason.
They also have a void on offense after letting former No. 3 wideout K.J. Osborn leave for the New England Patriots in free agency.
Could Beckham be an option to slot in behind Jefferson and 2023 first-rounder Jordan Addison?
Beckham, 31, caught 35 passes for 573 yards and three touchdowns in 14 games with the Baltimore Ravens last season, where he served in part as a mentor for second-year man Zay Flowers.
The former No. 12 overall pick by the New York Giants in the 2014 draft, he sat out the 2022 season after tearing his ACL in the Super Bowl with the champion Los Angeles Rams in 2021.
The Vikings signed veteran Aaron Jones to replace Alexander Mattison.
They are not averse to adding aging players with some injury concerns. Money could be the deciding factor with Beckham drawing interest from the Miami Dolphins, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler on April 5.
The Vikings still have Brandon Powell on the roster, and they signed Trent Sherfield from the Buffalo Bills in free agency. They had 410 yards combined last season.
Kirk Cousins Pushing for Former K.J. Osborn’s Breakout
GettyK.J. Osborn and Kirk Cousins, formerly of the Minnesota Vikings.
Osborn’s departure leaves Minnesota with a question mark. But former Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins is rooting for his former teammate to have a breakout season.
“KJ Osborne is a receiver who was with us in Minnesota who was kind of in the shadow of Justin Jefferson and Adam Thielen,” Cousins said on “The Big Podcast” with Shaquille O’Neal on April 3. “I always felt like K.J. was better than the opportunities he got.
“I’d love to see him have a huge year in New England kind of with a bigger role than what he had in Minnesota to show what he could do. But that list would go on and on of guys who I feel like because they got somebody in front of them, they don’t get to be as good as or show as good as they really are. You want those guys to get opportunities.”
The Vikings are in good shape so long as they have Jefferson, Addison, and tight end T.J. Hockenson when he gets healthy.
But Osborn’s absence will be felt.