The Minnesota Vikings used two open practice squad spots on Wednesday to add help at wide receiver, bringing back Jeshaun Jones and making a far bigger splash with Odell Beckham Jr.
Jones returns after serving a three-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy and being waived earlier in the week.
Beckham, of course, is the name that jumps off the page. The former New York Giants first-round pick out of Louisiana State won NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year and was named a Second-Team NFL All-Pro twice, in 2015 and 2016. His career totals stand at 575 receptions, 7,987 receiving yards and 59 touchdowns.
The last few seasons have been a grind for Beckham. His 2020 campaign with the Cleveland Browns ended when he tore his ACL midway through the year.
He returned to Cleveland in 2021, but disagreements over how he was being used in the offense led to his release. He then landed with the Los Angeles Rams, helped them win the Super Bowl and caught a touchdown in that game before suffering another ACL injury that wiped out his 2022 season.
In 2023, Beckham signed with the Baltimore Ravens and posted 35 catches for 565 yards and three touchdowns. Baltimore let him go before free agency in 2024, and he later signed with Miami. That stint never really got rolling: he began the season on the Physically Unable to Perform List, appeared in nine games, finished with just nine catches and was released in December.
Beckham did not play in 2025 and served a six-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy. He then tried to revive things with the Giants this season, made the 53-man roster out of training camp and was released after three games without a catch.
The Vikings now have Beckham on the practice squad, and the question is obvious: what kind of impact is left in the tank?
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Justin Jefferson Return Suddenly Feels Much More Real For Vikings
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For Minnesota, the appeal is obvious, but so is the caution. The Vikings know the schedule is about to toughen up, and they are intent on protecting Jefferson for the long haul rather than rushing him back for a short-term boost. If he can keep trending the right way in practice, the next few days will tell a lot about how real this comeback chance actually is. [Read more 🡒]