While the Vikings are high on Felton eventually developing into a contributor, he still has a lot of work to do before then. With Addison’s three game suspension now official, Jalen Nailor is set to take over WR2 duties opposite Justin Jefferson, until his teammate is eligible to return. At least, that was the plan…

Jalen Nailor hand injury worrisome for Minnesota Vikings

Until Thursday, when Nailor suffered a hand injury during the second of two joint practice sessions against the New England Patriots. According to SKOR North’s Darren Wolfson, there is “definite concern” regarding the 26-year-old former 6th round pick.

Head Coach Kevin O'Connell on Josh Metellus and Jalen Nailor pic.twitter.com/CIoIR3qDBc

— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) August 14, 2025

Nailor’s injury exacerbates an already thin Minnesota Vikings wide receiver room, after free agent signee, Rondale Moore — who they had been hoping would help fill in during Addison’s suspension — blew out his knee during his first preseason snap as a Viking, and since has been ruled out for the year.

If Nailor has any chance of missing regular season games, Minnesota Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah — who was likely monitoring and checking in on external WR options already — will begin seriously shopping for pass-catching help.

Unfortunately, it’s getting late in the training camp process to add a wideout capable of digesting O’Connell’s offense before the Vikings’ Monday Night Football opener in Chicago, against the Bears, on September 8.

Such logic would suggest Kwesi & Co will be on the hunt for someone who’s already worked and thrived in O’Connell’s system, or at least an offense that’s extremely similar.

Should the Minnesota Vikings Sign Odell Beckham Jr?

That leads us to 32-year-old one-time superstar, Odell Beckham Jr. According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, Beckham has “drawn interest” from several organizations, though he has yet to find a home for the upcoming 2025 season.

One of those teams has to be the Minnesota Vikings, right? Not only did OBJ win a Super Bowl in Los Angeles with Kevin O’Connell, but he and Justin Jefferson are fellow LSU alums too.

In fact, when Beckham Jr got in trouble for doling out $100 dollar bills to LSU players following their 2020 National Championship victory, Jefferson was first in line. Funny how circumstances change. Now, Justin can help get Odell paid. The two are believed to be good friends.

OBJ handing wads of cash to LSU players on the field after the National Championship pic.twitter.com/QVmebrjpPy

— Brody Logan (@BrodyLogan) January 14, 2020

Related: 4 Wide Receivers the Vikings Should Consider Acquiring

There’s little doubt that OBJ is far beyond his prime, but the Vikings don’t need him to be prime OBJ, in order to give them what they need, which at this point, is competence.

If he can be a complementary threat, who can get open in zone and single coverage, that will be enough to keep defenses from shading too heavily toward Justin Jefferson and T.J. Hockenson.

Beckham’s name has far outweighed his game, since tearing his ACL during Super Bowl LVI. Earlier that 2021 season, O’Connell’s last in LA, OBJ joined the Rams via midseason trade from Cleveland. He made a near immediate impact, especially on their playoff run, catching 21 passes on 26 targets for 288 yards and two touchdowns.

I’ll never forget when OBJ was having the game of his life in the Super Bowl before tearing his ACL. pic.twitter.com/CKeuV1pFdt

— Bobby Shouse (@B_Shousejr) March 20, 2024

MN Vikings Also Monitoring Josh Metellus Injury

Jalen Nailor isn’t the only Minnesota Vikings player who got banged up during Thursday’s practice. Vikings do-it-all defender Josh Metellus also injured his shoulder.

Though, Metellus did pause and sign autographs for fans following practice. Coach Kevin O’Connell also didn’t seem too concerned about the status of his versatile starting safety either.

Related: Voice of Vikings Worried About Recent 1st Round Pick

Yet, we’ll have to wait to learn more about the status of Nailor and Metellus when the Vikings’ medical team has more time to properly assess the severity of their injuries. We should know more about their status by tomorrow, certainly in time for the Vikings’ second preseason game on Saturday.

That may have somewhat saved him in the eye of the law, but did not get him any suspension discounts from Roger Goodell, after the league suspended him for the full three games, as is custom in the NFL for a first-time drunk driving affliction.

Wide Receivers the Minnesota Vikings should look to sign/trade for

Now, with Addison out to start the regular season and Justin Jefferson recovering from a “mild” hamstring strain to start MN Vikings training camp, it’s time for general manager Kwesi Adofo- Mensah and head coach Kevin O’Connell to consider alternative options that are not currently on roster. The list has some intriguing names, too.

Amari Cooper – 31 years old

Arguably the biggest splash on this list, Cooper would be an addition that sticks well beyond the time Addison misses. Last season he split time between the Cleveland Browns and Buffalo Bills while making $20 million.

He’s not that player anymore, but he’s just a year removed from a Pro Bowl selection with the Cleveland Browns. Cooper averaged a career-worst 39.1 yards per game and scored just four touchdowns. That said, he may be rejuvenated in an offense that should have plenty of juice.

One year ago, @AmariCooper9 was traded to the Cowboys.

He's done nothing but cook CBs in Dallas 🔥 (via @NFL pic.twitter.com/6dnNp86SiE

— ESPN (@espn) October 22, 2019

The former fourth overall pick is at the end of his career, but he’d push Jalen Nailor down the depth chart and give new starter J.J. McCarthy another legitimate weapon. The Vikings have cap space, and there are worse ways to use it.

Adam Thielen – 34 years old

There’s no real indication that the Carolina Panthers want to trade veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen. This would be his third season with them after leaving the Vikings. Of course everyone loves a good reunion story.

Minnesota would likely need to overpay in terms of draft capital in order to bring back their former hometown hero. A sixth or seventh round pick probably doesn’t get it done if the Vikings are the team on the phone.

Bringing Adam Thielen back to Minnesota makes so much sense. He'd cost very little to acquire. Carolina has young receivers who need reps. Thielen was legitimately great in the second half of last year, when Bryce Young was cookin'. And he knows the KOC offense. DO IT! pic.twitter.com/2yOPzGFF0j

— Paul Charchian (@PaulCharchian) August 6, 2025

Related: NFL Agent Crowns Minnesota Vikings Owners

Still, Carolina is not really in a position to compete and stockpiling future assets may be intriguing. Thielen played 10 games last year and scored five touchdowns with 615 receiving yards. His possession and route-running prowess would be a significant addition regardless of the way the rest of the depth chart shakes out.

Brandon Powell – 28 years old

If Adam Thielen is “one of us” then Brandon Powell previously has been one of us as well. The Minnesota Vikings brought Powell over after two seasons with the Los Angeles Rams.

Kevin O’Connell’s familiarity with the secondary wideout translated into a niche role, and he continued to show purpose each of the past two seasons. While he operated in the return game, Powell also hauled in 36-of-54 passes thrown his way.

Joshua Dobbs to Brandon Powell!

The Vikings take the lead. Wow.

pic.twitter.com/WKIHBtrxtW

— NFL Stats (@NFL_Stats) November 5, 2023

He’d be a less-than-exciting option, but could help to supplement Nailor’s role as a secondary wideout. Powell has more experience, and could potentially be pushed with a bit more opportunity.

Odell Beckham Jr. – 32 years old

While he is not the elder statesman of the group, Odell Beckham Jr. feels like he has been around forever. Last season he played in nine games with the Miami Dolphins, and it’s clear he is in the twilight of his career.

You aren’t going to get peak New York Giants superstar anymore, but there may still be a usable talent here that can bring some veteran experience. He’s doesn’t need to be the distraction he once was, and Beckham Jr. already has familiarity with O’Connell during their shared time in Los Angeles.

ODELL'S FIRST PLAYOFF TD.

Rams on the board first. #RamsHouse #SuperWildCard

📺: #AZvsLAR on ABC/ESPN/ESPN2
📱: NFL app pic.twitter.com/55mgYXw7ry

— NFL (@NFL) January 18, 2022

Related: MN Vikings Starting CB Could Land Returner Job

It would be awesome if he could prop up Nailor and help develop Tai Felton and Silas Bolden. Beckham caught just nine passes last season, but there would be room for him to do that in the first three weeks of the season with Minnesota.

Vikings attend Odell Beckham Jr’s workout

Beckham, now 30-years-old, held a private workout over the weekend and the Vikings were one of eleven teams in attendance. Shocker (not) … he looked great.

Had to show love to my guy @obj at his private workout! pic.twitter.com/Nu4OJm1lOL

— Prince Amukamara (@PrinceAmukamara) March 11, 2023

Not only does OBJ fit exactly what the Minnesota Vikings offense needs, but he has connections all over the roster. He and Kevin O’Connell won a Super Bowl together in LA and Justin Jefferson is a fellow LSU alum.

You might remember, Odell was banned from LSU campus for two years after passing out stacks of cash to JJ and other players after the Tigers won the National Championship in 2019. For all of these reasons and more, OBJ to the Vikings makes sense.

If you’re worried about locker room chemistry or that Beckham Jr might cause problems off the field, don’t. Because the players currently in that locker room would love to see OBJ wear the purple and gold.

Vikings Players Recruit OBJ on Twitter

How do we know? On Monday night, a few of them were openly courting him on Twitter. It started with (LB) Brian Asamoah, before (CB) Akayleb Evans and (LT) Christian Darrisaw joined in on OBJ’s recruitment.

Can we call it a modern-day version of Ryan Longwell, Steve Hutchinson and Jared Allen flying to Mississippi, to recruit Brett Favre out of retirement? Maybe, maybe not. But you know what they say: ‘comparisons will steal your joy’.

@obj stop playing…

— Brian Asamoah II (@brianasamoah) March 14, 2023

Yooo @obj

— Akayleb Evans (@AkaylebEvans) March 14, 2023

???????? https://t.co/etNzWOHW9d

— Christian Darrisaw (@chrisdarrisaw71) March 14, 2023

How likely is it that OBJ lands in Minnesota?

Odell is said to be asking for $20 million per season, a number he’s unlikely to get in any type of guaranteed contract. So, this process could drag out for a bit. But that could be a good thing for the Vikings because they’re still trying to figure out how much they are buying vs selling for next season.

Currently, Kwesi & Co can’t afford a Snickers bar out of the TCO Performance Center vending machine, let alone a high-priced free agent wide receiver. But could that change by the time OBJ is ready to make his decision? Many players on roster obviously hope so (and so do I).

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Kirk Cousins has been clutch, delivering final drive victories in three of their five wins. But his efficiency numbers (QB Rating, QBR, Completion %, Yards per Attempt, etc) are all down.

One surprising issue, for the Minnesota Vikings offense, has been the wide receivers’ inability to get open. When teams have slowed Justin Jefferson, the passing game has struggled to find rhythm.

Passing game struggles

Adam Thielen, for example, has been a great wide receiver for a long time. But NFL Next Gen Stats say he’s struggling to create separation from coverage, in his age-32 season. Thielen’s 2.4 average yards of separation ranks near the bottom of qualifying wide receivers in 2022 and, though he’s never really excelled in that category, is the worst of his career.

Justin Jefferson has a whopping 29.3% target share.

And Adam Thielen isn’t nearly as effective at age 32 — his 85.8 passer rating when targeted is second-worst on the team.

This is an Odell Beckham Jr tweet.#Skol pic.twitter.com/gdKqdAc1uV

— Rob Searles (@RobBob17) October 17, 2022

NFL offenses, in general, are struggling to create explosive plays this season. Part of that is a new commitment by defenses to limit deep balls, instead daring offenses to methodically drive the field in order to score points. That is one part of what might be limiting KJ Osborn, who excels when the ball is being pushed down the field.

Odell Beckham Jr to the rescue?

And at 5-1, the Vikings are in a perfect position to add talent, where available and if necessary. Odell Beckham Jr, when bought in, is one of the best receivers in football. Pairing him with Justin Jefferson would create a hopeless coverage conundrum for defenses.

That’s why the Rams got so much better after they acquired OBJ in the middle of last season, one that ended in a Super Bowl title. Odell opened the field for Cooper Kupp, who won Super Bowl MVP, and made the 2021 Rams offense impossible to stop.

Why would OBJ come to Minnesota? Well, there are a couple of really, really interesting connections. Obviously, Vikings head coach, Kevin O’Connell, played a big part in the Rams’ Super Bowl run and knows Beckham Jr really well.

And you can’t tell me OBJ wouldn’t love playing opposite of his friend, “little brother” and fellow LSU alum, Justin Jefferson. Both Odell Beckham Jr and Jefferson have talked about how close they are and how much they respect each others’ games.

Money Problems

One problem that immediately presents itself, if the Minnesota Vikings want to get serious about bringing on Odell Beckham Jr, is a lack of cap space. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has just less than $1 million to play with and signing OBJ will cost a lot more than that.

Got thinking about this, as the #Vikings have about $973K in cap space, per NFLPA records.

Top cap hits on the Vikings' books:

1. Kirk Cousins: $31.4M
2. Dead money: $25.6M
3. Eric Kendricks: $13.5M
4. Danielle Hunter: $12.4M
5. Dalvin Cook: $11.9M
6. Adam Thielen: $11.7M

— Ben Goessling (@BenGoessling) October 11, 2022

But the Vikings have a few options that would clear up space. Brian O’Neill, for example, has team-triggered money maneuvers that are built into his contract. According to Ben Goessling (Star Tribune), Kwesi can clear over $3 million in cap space by converting part of O’Neill’s guaranteed future salary into a signing bonus.

The star right tackle doesn’t have a say in the matter. The Vikings can initiate the restructure with nothing more than an email to notify O’Neill.

Goessling also mentioned (DT) Dalvin Tomlinson as a possible extension candidate. He’s 28 years old and becomes a free agent after the season. On top of that, the Vikings built void years into his deal so he’ll count against the cap in future years, whether he’s on roster or not.

What do the Vikings want or think they need?

So, it would take some maneuvering to make room for Odell Beckham Jr but doing so wouldn’t be difficult. Throw in those personal connections we talked about earlier, along with a 5-1 start to the season, and you’d think OBJ would be open to Minnesota as a possible landing spot.

The questions would surround how much the new coach and general manager think OBJ would add to the offense and whether they believe a boost in their WR core is necessary. Odell Beckham Jr is expected to be healthy and ready to take the field around Thanksgiving.

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

Remember those Odell Beckham Jr trade talks the Vikings were supposedly having yesterday, with the Browns? They never took place, according to NFL reporters all over the league and internet..

ESPN and Yahoo Sports insiders have refuted the initial rumor (which was out of New York, from a well-known local radio host) and local ABC stations have done the same. The response has been pretty unanimous from insiders who have broached the subject…. An OBJ —> Vikings trade isn’t happening and was never under discussion.

x 2 https://t.co/6nqL7H8ePy

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) April 16, 2020

Received a one-word answer from a source close to the #Vikings about the report they're talking to the #Browns about trading for Odell Beckham Jr. for a 2nd & 5th next year: "False"

— Mary Kay Cabot (@MaryKayCabot) April 15, 2020

From someone who would be involved: "It's BS." I know @MaryKayCabot and others have already said this too. But happy to answer for you. #Vikings https://t.co/wp048Jz1FM

— Darren Wolfson (@DWolfsonKSTP) April 15, 2020

I checked the twitter accounts of NFL Network insiders, Tom Pelissero and Ian Rapoport, and they haven’t even touched the subject yet. Unless they come out with a breaking report that confirms the original tweet, I’d say this rumor is about as dead as the career of the guy who reported it.

As we talked about on Bleeding Purple today with Daniel House (MNVikingsCorner.com), fans should have known something was up when we looked at the details of the OBJ trade rumors, themselves. Supposedly, the Vikings were only giving up a 2nd and a 5th for the 2021 draft? It’s hard to imagine that conversation ever getting off the ground, knowing Stefon Diggs went to Buffalo for a 2020 1st-rounder… (OBJ trade talk starts at 03:50 mark below)

As fun as it would have been to see OBJ in purple, it doesn’t make much sense to ship out one diva, just to bring in a bigger one. The Vikings have made it very clear, the type of offense they want on display for the foreseeable future. It’s Dalvin Cook, Dalvin Cook, Dalvin Cook, Play Action…

I wrote about it the other night and that blog hasn’t gotten the traffic it deserves… The big question to watch for the Vikings, is WTF they will do with Dalvin Cook’s contract. He isn’t playing 2021 under something that pays him as a backup, like his current deal. I wouldn’t, either…. not as a running back.

If you want to deep dive a wide receiver who could actually play for the Vikings in 2021, make sure you WATCH the Bleeding Purple Podcast, where House breaks down a 2nd-round WR who he calls the “best route runner in the draft” (29-minute mark below).

Eric Strack | Minnesota Sports Fan

So, as I reported this morning on @MandMWFAN, Source has told me that the Browns and Vikings are in discussions on a trade that would send @obj to the Vikings for a 2nd and 5th round pick next year. Trade is not done, but the deal is being discussed.

— Moose™ (@MarcMalusis) April 15, 2020

via GIPHY

There has been a lot of talk about how the Vikings are going to replace Stefon Diggs, who was traded to Buffalo last month.

Marc Malusis, a Twitter checkmark sports personality in the New York area, reported this morning that there are ongoing discussions between the Vikings and Browns about a trade that would send Odell Beckham Jr to the Vikings for a 2nd and 5th Round pick, in next years draft. He said “a deal is not done but there are discussions ongoing.”

With the Kevin Stefanski connection now in Cleveland, this deal could potentially have legs. This move would give Adam Thielen a compliment at the WR spot and allow the Vikings to not prioritize a WR in the early rounds of the draft.

The tweet is specific about the draft picks going to the Browns, being for “NEXT YEAR”, which would be the 2021 draft, not the one coming up in about a week.

Wow… this would be massive.

Brian Heintz | Minnesota Sports Fan