After being released by the New York Giants earlier in the 2026 season, wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. joined the Minnesota Vikings’ practice squad.
This week, Beckham Jr. was officially signed to the Vikings’ active roster ahead of Monday Night Football. During the game, the former superstar wide receiver saw limited playing time as he was on the field for only two snaps and was not targeted in either play.
Following the game, the Minnesota Vikings made a pair of moves relating to the wide receiver.
Vikings Announce News on Former New York Giants Wide Receiver Odell Beckham Jr.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter posted on X: “Vikings have released WR Odell Beckham Jr.”
While the news of his release may have marked the end of Beckham’s time with the Vikings, that does not appear to be the case.
The Ringer’s Tom Pelissero posted on X: “OBJ isn’t done: The Vikings are re-signing Odell Beckham Jr. to the practice squad, per source.”
Pro Football Talk’s River McCown wrote of the news: “The idea of Odell Beckham being a good wideout at 34 is really fun, and the reality is that he’s played 22 offensive snaps for two teams this year. Back to the practice squad he goes.”
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.
Meanwhile, his release from the Vikings came as Minnesota needed an extra roster spot for veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins, who the team acquired at the trade deadline. Previously, the team traded away quarterback J.J. McCarthy to the New York Giants after McCarthy lost a training camp competition to Kyler Murray. McCarthy is now 2-0 as the Giants starting quarterback while Murray will likely be the backup to Cousins.
Odell Beckham Jr.’s Role
After being released by the New York Giants, Beckham then spent a few weeks on Minnesota’s practice squad. He was originally elevated to the active roster during his first week with the Vikings, but was ultimately a gameday inactive.
At that time, Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell was asked about Beckham Jr.’s role on the team. O’Connell replied, “He’s on our practice squad. He’s doing great. We’ll kind of deem that week in and week out based upon whether we elevate him or not and get him going.”
While Beckham Jr. was briefly a member of Minnesota’s 53-man roster, it appears his role will return to what it was prior to Monday Night Football.
Vikings Announce Ex-Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr. Move After Trade Deadline