Former New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. made his Minnesota Vikings debut on Monday Night Football as they fell to the Buffalo Bills 23-6.
The Vikings officially signed Beckham Jr. to their active roster on Monday, after the veteran wide receiver spent a few weeks on the team’s practice squad.
Beckham Jr. returned to the NFL in 2026 after going unsigned last season. The Giants signed him this offseason, and he went on to make the 53-man roster before being released after three games in which he failed to make an impact. After his release, Giants head coach John Harbaugh indicated that the situation wasn’t working for New York.
Now, Beckham Jr. has been handed a clear message on his role with the Vikings.
Former New York Giants Wide Receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Sees Limited Playing Time in Vikings Debut
With the New York Giants, Beckham Jr. struggled to see the field as he played limited snaps during the team’s first three games. When asked, Giants coaches expressed a desire to get Beckham Jr. more involved. That did not end up happening as the wide receiver was released.
During his Minnesota Vikings debut, Beckham Jr.’s role was similar to the one he had in New York as he was not targeted. Beckham Jr. ran two routes on the two snaps he saw on Monday Night Football.
Beckham Jr. was signed to Minnesota’s active roster after veteran wide receiver Jauan Jennings was ruled out with a calf injury. Whether Beckham’s limited role decreases even further after Jennings returns remains to be seen.
Odell Beckham Jr.’s Career
Regarding Odell Beckham being signed to the Vikings, CBS Sports’ Bryan DeArdo wrote prior to the game: “Beckham had plenty of early success in the NFL with the Giants. He was named to the Pro Bowl during each of his first three seasons. Beckham later had a 1,000-yard season with the Browns (in 2019) and helped the Rams win the Super Bowl at the end of the 2021 season.
During the Rams’ Super Bowl win over the Bengals, Beckham had an early touchdown before he sustained an injury that sidelined him for the entire 2022 season. Beckham hasn’t been the same player since that injury.
Beckham will now look to help improve a Vikings offense that is just 27th in the NFL in scoring and 31st in passing. On Monday night, Minnesota will face a Bills defense that is 30th in the NFL in passing yards allowed and 27th in touchdown passes permitted.”
Beckham Jr. did not make an impact on the Vikings’ struggling passing offense against Buffalo. Minnesota’s quarterbacks combined for only 139 passing yards in the loss.
Ex-Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. Gets Clear Message on Vikings Role