Former New York Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is a walking example that having a strong name and brand is worth its weight in gold in the modern NFL, as he has landed another NFL job after his second go-around with Big Blue ended almost immediately.
Beckham signed with the Minnesota Vikings' practice squad. Beckham, who has a connection with head coach Kevin O'Connell dating back to his stint with the Los Angeles Rams, will join a 4-0 Vikings team that needs some offensive juice after getting carried to wins by Brian Flores' defense.
While Minnesota isn't placing a ton of responsibility on Beckham's plate, they may be in line to learn the same lesson the Giants learned when they had Beckham on the Week 1 roster. Any team that signs him is paying for what he did in the past rather than what he can be, and relying on him to produce in 2026 is a foolish thought.
Vikings signing former New York Giants star Odell Beckham Jr. to practice squad
There's a non-zero chance that Beckham was on the Giants' roster for PR and to get a new coaching staff on the fanbase's good side. Beckham barely played and was rarely targeted when he was on the field, despite the lack of depth and talent in the wide receiver room being one of the biggest issues on this New York team.
Beckham was kicked to the curb in New York after just a few weeks without recording a single catch, which prompted a very angry social media post.
It's been over half a decade since the last time Beckham tallied over 600 yards in a season, and his trademark slipperiness at the line of scrimmage seems to have waned with age. This is not an indictment of Beckham's overall status as a player, but rather an illustration of the issues around signing a 33-year-old receiver with some major injury history.
Vikings may not get much production out of former Giants WR Odell Beckham Jr.
There's a non-zero chance Beckham will get on the field in Minnesota. Between the injuries plaguing Justin Jefferson (with whom Beckham has a relationship via their LSU connection), Jauan Jennings' incredibly slow start, and Tai Felton's failure to develop, one unlucky injury break could force Beckham into the lineup.
If the Giants really believed in Odell as anything more than a lightning rod that can attract social media buzz, they probably would have thrown him a pass or two at a time when their wide receiver room was begging for someone other than Malik Nabers to make a play. Minnesota may be even less likely to lean on the one-time All-Pro.
Leaning on Beckham in 2026 is like expecting that band at the local festival that had a Top 10 song in 1983 to start belting out Van Halen's greatest hits. Beckham has been reduced to the Dexys Midnight Runners of football, and playing Come On Eileen at a slower tempo isn't going to make for very happy customers in Minnesota.
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