The Minnesota Vikings made a surprising move this week, signing veteran free agent Odell Beckham Jr. This move comes after the New York Giants cut the wideout and it didn’t take long for the wideout to find a new home.
Given that Beckham didn’t produce much in his second stint in New York, it’s hard to say what the realistic expectations are for Beckham. Nonetheless, with Jauan Jennings being a nonfactor through four games, it’s safe to say that the WR3 spot on the Vikings could be up for grabs.
On the Oct. 8 edition of “PFT Live,” NBC Sports NFL analyst Chris Simms shared his outlook on how he sees Minnesota utilizing Beckham.
“I think [Beckham is] probably a better slot receiver than Jauan Jennings,” Simms said. “Jauan Jennings, in a lot of ways, to me, is just like a lesser version of Addison or Justin Jefferson. Same type of body makeup and all that.
“I don’t look at him as being able to be necessarily the jitterbug slot guy that can make the sharp cuts and read the coverage and do all that all at once. I think that’s where Odell could have a role for them, and I think that’s probably where he’s best suited at this point of his career.”
Minnesota Could Have a New Wideout Trio Soon
Moreover, in that same segment, NBC Sports NFL insider Mike Florio stated that he wouldn’t be surprised if the Vikings’ three wideouts are Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Beckham.
“When you play 95 percent of the snaps, and you get targeted once, something’s off in your ability to get open,” Florio added in the same segment. “Surely at some point when you’re on the field for 95% of the plays, you’re going to get targeted more than one time in the passing game. I don’t think they’ve gotten enough out of Jauan Jennings.
“It’s also, I think, an indictment of Tai Felton, who was a draft pick last year, who hasn’t really done all that much. Felton started last week. It was Jordan Addison. Jauan Jennings and Tai Felton. I think there’s a chance that before too long, it’s going to be Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and OBJ as the three starting receivers. With OBJ in the slot.”
Vikings Share Reason for Signing Odell Beckham Jr.
Minnesota will be looking to get more out of Beckham, who didn’t make much impact in his reunion with the Giants, leading to their decision to cut him. Speaking with the media on Oct. 7, head coach Kevin O’Connell shared the reason for this signing.
“I think just being a little banged up in that receiver room and just knowing how we can be a player or two away from needing to call upon guys to be elevated and make plays and the fact that we could bring Odell in on our practice squad and start getting him acclimated to our offense,” O’Connell told reporters.
“Obviously, I have a great history with him going back to 2021, spending a lot of time with him when he came in midseason and getting him ready to help us, and just how impactful he was down the stretch of that season. Really great job by [Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley] and his staff getting a player of Odell’s caliber in here and just excited to get him going.”
Vikings Receive Candid Outlook on Odell Beckham Jr. After Signing