Getty Kirk Cousins looks for big things in 2022.
The Minnesota Vikings are sitting pretty atop the NFC North Division, which means now is exactly the wrong time for complacency.
As the usual suspects in the conference — the Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and San Francisco 49ers, to name a few — languish below .500 seven weeks into the season, the Vikings are in position to earn a top seed and make a deep postseason run. That said, a sound defeat at the hands of the NFC-leading Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2 made clear that Minnesota has roster work yet to do to compete at the highest levels of the league.
The two primary areas of need are the pass defense and explosive playmaking through the air on offense. The Vikings have a line on improving the latter if they can sign free agent Odell Beckham Jr. and pair him alongside Justin Jefferson, arguably the best wide receiver in the NFL.
Odell Beckham Could Make Vikings Favorites in Weak NFC
GettyWide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. holds the Super Bowl LVI trophy before a game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Buffalo Bills at SoFi Stadium on September 8, 2022 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
Minnesota has three distinct advantages in the race to ink Beckham to a deal. The first is his relationship with Jefferson, which stretched back to Jefferson’s college days at LSU and which he has described as something of a big brother/little brother dynamic.
The second is Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell, who spent last season as the offensive coordinator with the Los Angeles Rams. O’Connell immediately incorporated Beckham into an offense that went on to win a Super Bowl and the two, by all accounts, continue to have a stellar relationship.
The third is that Beckham is looking to join a contender that can help him produce enough to gain traction for his third big contract this coming offseason, which he might have earned last summer had he not torn his ACL during the Super Bowl. That was the scenario in Los Angeles in 2021, and the Vikings mirror last year’s NFC Champion in several ways. They are solid at quarterback with Kirk Cousins at the helm and boast a top-flight wideout in Jefferson, who will afford Beckham coverage matchups he should be able to exploit.
Furthermore, the Vikings (5-1) are good enough with a strong enough record to hold onto a favorable spot in the conference until Beckham is able to join them. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network initially reported that the three-time Pro Bowl receiver was targeting a mid-November return, though Dan Graziano of ESPN reported last week that some front offices around the NFL believe Beckham may remain sidelined until December.
Beckham Offers Vikings Chance at Top NFC Contender Status
GettyWide receiver Justin Jefferson of the Minnesota Vikings celebrates on the field after defeating the Green Bay Packers 23-7 at U.S. Bank Stadium on September 11, 2022 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report on Monday, October 24, ranked Beckham atop the list of free agents who can “help fuel deep playoff runs.” Of course, that means the Vikings will have competition for his services, likely from the aforementioned Rams and Packers, among others.
Odell Beckham Jr. is a textbook example of a free agent who sparked a playoff run because of his efforts last season with the Los Angeles Rams.
After languishing with the Cleveland Browns for two-and-a-half seasons, the disgruntled wideout forced his way out shortly after the trade deadline passed. The Rams capitalized on this sudden availability, scooping Beckham up on a cheap one-year deal.
The low-risk, high-reward transaction paid off in a big way after Beckham experienced a resurgence in a Rams uniform.
Even if the 29-year-old is only able to contribute for a handful of regular-season games, his presence could be the difference between a postseason victory and going home early.
Coming off their bye, the Vikings have two highly winnable games at home against the Arizona Cardinals and on the road at the Washington Commanders over the next couple of weeks.
The schedule toughens up in November with showdowns against the likes of the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys, among others. However, if everything goes right with Beckham’s rehabilitation, the Vikings could add him to mix in time to aid a mid-season push to the very top of the NFC.