At least once of twice in the past several months, we’ve mentioned the possibility of receiver Odell Beckham, Jr. signing with the Vikings. We may be crazy, but we’re not alone.
Judd Zulgad has taken a close look at the possibility in an item for The Vikings Wire.
The most obvious connection is coach Kevin O’Connell. He worked for the Rams last year as the offensive coordinator, when Beckham came in and played very well. Beckham quite possibly would have been the Super Bowl MVP, but for the non-contact ACL tear that he suffered in the first half of the game.
O’Connell has brought his system to Minnesota. Star receiver Justin Jefferson, a former LSU receiver who has a close relationship with OBJ, is drawing double coverage on a regular basis. Beckham would enjoy favorable matchups.
Of course, the Vikings already have Adam Thielen and K.J. Osborn, an underrated No. 3 receiver. Irv Smith is starting to contribute as a pass-catching tight end. Do the Vikings really need OBJ?
Maybe they don’t in the short term, but Beckham could be a move that would help the Vikings do something more than get to the divisional round and lose to a better team. Maybe Beckham could help the Vikings be that better team.
Remember, whoever gets Beckham keeps him from going to another team. For the Chiefs, it’s about keeping him from the Bills. For the Vikings, it could be about keeping him from the Packers. Or maybe the Cowboys.
Beckham continues to be in a great spot. He can wait to pick the right horse, after the race plays out for a few more weeks. While plenty of teams are bunched together, separation may happen as the season continues to unfold.
It would be something to see Beckham making his debut against the Cowboys on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, or against the Patriots on Thanksgiving night.
If, as has been reported, Beckham will be ready to go in the middle of November, Week 11 vs. the Cowboys would be a great time for Beckham to make his debut. That’s when the Vikings start a stretch of six games with five at home and the other indoors in Detroit. Beckham could help Minnesota win enough to get one or more home games in the postseason.
Which could make their playoff run more interesting than it otherwise seems destined to be.
O’Connell became a head coach thanks to a team that was willing to go all in when the opportunity presented itself. Going all in for Beckham could be the kind of move that will make all the difference for the Vikings, if/when Minnesota ends up playing single-elimination football in January.
