Ex-NFLer Encourages Odell Beckham to Visit Vikings
Dustin Baker
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Odell Beckham has only been mentioned in the shadows as a possible free-agent addition to the Minnesota Vikings.
In fact, the rumor mill has quietly suggested Beckham to Minnesota since Kevin O’Connell joined the franchise as the Vikings new skipper. O’Connell was Beckham’s offensive coordinator in 2021 during a Super Bowl triumph in Los Angeles. But now O’Connell’s Vikings own the NFL’s second-best record at 9-2, Beckham is choosing which Super Bowl contender to join, and the three-time Pro Bowler would actually fit with the Vikings.
And while Vegas oddsmakers don’t foresee a Beckham-Vikings relationship for the final six games of the regular season and the postseason, former NFL safety Sherrod Martin believes Beckham should at least visit the Vikings amid his free-agent rounds.
“OBJ take a visit to Vikings also. They know what you like,” Martin tweeted on Sunday.
Martin played six seasons in the NFL, mainly with Carolina Panthers. Selected in the 2nd Round of the 2009 NFL Draft, Martin also played for the Chicago Bears and Jacksonville Jaguars after four seasons with the Panthers. He notched 217 total tackles, 8 interceptions, 4 tackles for loss, and 3 QB hits in his career.
On Beckham, he should make his free-agent choice any day, perhaps influencing the offense of a contending team in the final stretch of the regular season. In 2021, Beckham successfully forced his way out of Cleveland after a rift with Baker Mayfield, was traded to the Rams, and won a Super Bowl about three months later.
When the Beckham-to-Vikings fringe rumors picked up steam in the summer, some theorized that 30-year-old wasn’t necessary because Minnesota already employed Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, Irv Smith, and K.J. Osborn for notable pass-catchers. Now, though, folks have learned Thielen is experiencing a production downturn, Smith is hurt for most of the regular season, and the Vikings have a shiny record. If Vikings want Beckham — or vice versa — a free-agent pairing actually makes sense.
Beckham tore his ACL on Super Bowl Sunday 9.5 months ago. The star wideout also attended LSU from 2011 to 2013, and Minnesota rosters the aforementioned Jefferson, Danielle Hunter, Patrick Peterson, and Ed Ingram as alumni from that school, which should theoretically bolster the recruiting acumen for the Vikings.
He’s played in the NFL for eight seasons, spending time with the New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, and Los Angeles Rams, tabulating 7,367 receiving yards on 531 receptions and 56 touchdowns.
As of November 27th, the Vikings rank third to last in the NFL per available cap space, so Kwesi Adofo-Mensah would have to be creative if Beckham took Brown’s advice and met with the Vikings.
Betting lines from OddsChecker suggest Minnesota is not a serious contender for Beckham.
The Vikings rank 23rd in the NFL per passing DVOA through 11 games.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Viking fandom dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ and The Doors (the band).
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