The idea of the Minnesota Vikings trading for Odell Beckham is a bit puzzling and likely won’t happen.
If you were caught off guard upon hearing a rumor that the Minnesota Vikings were trying to trade for Odell Beckham Jr, your gut instinct was right.
The rumor, which has since been shot down by Browns beat writer Mary Kay Cabot, had the Vikings in trade discussions with the Cleveland Browns exchanging Odell Beckham and a seventh-round pick for a 2021 second and fifth-round selection.
The move makes sense for Cleveland, but does it for Minnesota?
Honestly, nope.
The Vikings shipped star receiver Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills earlier this offseason and the idea of trading for Beckham feels a bit like fan service — which is also where it stops making sense.
For starters, the Diggs drama last year is one of the chief reasons Minnesota decided he wasn’t worth the contract they handed him. Enter Beckham, who has a Ph.D. in Flare For The Dramatics: From throwing fits about not being able to wear a watch on the field to continuing to throw shade at his old team, OBJ is as dramatic as they come in the NFL.
Antics aside, Beckham is a top-tier receiver but would be joining a Vikings offense already full of talented weapons.
Even in trading away Diggs, Minnesota still has another very talented receiver in Adam Thielen, who is a guy more than capable of being the lead receiver. Thielen does struggle with injuries but so does Beckham, who has only appeared in all 16 games of his career one time (2016).
Minnesota also has veteran tight ends Kyle Rudolph and Tajae Sharpe, and a run game led by Dalvin Cook who was one of the best in the league last season. Adding another receiver isn’t a bad move but Beckham being that receiver seems like a powder keg situation.
The Vikings could have tried to fill the void of Diggs by using the pick they inherited from Buffalo by drafting a wide receiver in the first round. They’re selecting 22nd and 25th overall, giving them a solid chance of locking down one of the better talents in the 2020 NFL Draft. This year’s wide receiver class is bursting with talent, so addressing that need next week is a wise move for Minnesota.
It’s easy to see why fans might leap at the idea of effectively replacing Diggs with Beckham. It’s a better fantasy than it is a reality, however. From potential headaches in the lockerroom to the financial hurdles Minnesota would have to clear, trading for Odell just doesn’t make any sense.