Best of NFL News Part 2: OBJ Signs with Vikings + Sauce Gardner EMBARRASSED by his own performance + Kyren Williams JOINS after Rams BIG COMEBACK vs Eagles

SPEAKER_1 (0:04)

Let's go.

Shannon Sharpe (0:04)

Odell Beckham Jr. has signed with the Vikings to the practice squad. Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison are both nursing injuries, and OBJ adds an immediate depth. Despite the Vikings being four and O, they ranked 31st in total offense. The Vikings head coach, Kevin O'Connell, spoke about the signing of OBJ.

I've seen him do it before. The good thing is our system is that he's seen some mechanisms that either he can quickly learn and know those are absolute. If we need to go in that route in the game, if he were to be elevated.

Odell added that his jersey number today had this to say about taking number nine.

SPEAKER_1 (0:46)

Already joked and I said the reason I picked nine is because Justin got half his game from me. So that's my little joke for you.

But just being able to see him since coming in those days at LSU, his big brother was my quarterback. So it's a lot of history there. He's been like family to me for a long time.

Shannon Sharpe (1:09)

All right, guys, what are your thoughts on OBJ's signing for the practice squad with the Minnesota Vikings?

Chad Johnson (1:15)

I mean, my thoughts are cool. I was really happy, Joe, when he signed with the Giants. The fact that he made a 53-man roster, understanding that he's not the OBJ of old, but he could contribute in some way, shape, form or fashion. Did the Giants choose to use him in that way? No, they didn't. They threw him a few balls in the preseason, had most of us hype, who were excited to see him back. And then when the regular season came, Joe, they threw him one target. They didn't use him in any situation. They didn't use him in situational purposes and play to his strengths. I mean, nothing, nothing at all.

It seemed like it was more for show, you know, as opposed to actually making him, forcing him to earn a roster spot and then give him the opportunity to make plays once the season started. Now, over in Minnesota, Kevin O'Connell, they're dealing with some injuries right now. Hopefully with him being on the practice squad, he can catch up to speed really fast. And there's certain situational, situational, situational instances in where they can use him and in certain ways, you know, he can get open pre-separation, he can catch balls, he might not be the same Odell of old, but he still has that magic in him a little bit. He got the magic in him a little bit because if he didn't have it at all, completely gone, he would have made the 53 man roster in New York.

So with that being said, I'm happy for him, but I'm a little leery. I'm a little leery because of what they did in New York. I'm not sure how the Minnesota Vikings organization will use him, but it would be good to see him out there using the right instances where he can make an impact and be of some value.

Shannon Sharpe (2:48)

And Kevin O'Connell said that they have, I said mechanisms in place because it's familiarity. There's some terminology that he's probably heard before that he can revert back to. Ocho, I think the thing in the Giants is that we got to look at it. A lot of people didn't know the health of Malik neighbors. And so maybe he was an insurance policy for Malik neighbors. And once they found out Malik neighbors was gonna be healthy, well, what can he give us? Well, you gave him what, 1920 targets, no, 1920 plays. I think he had one target. So as you said, he didn't get the opportunity that he thought that he was gonna get. But it's hard for me to look at looking at it. Now, looking back, I don't even know if he makes the 53 man roster, if they think Malik neighbors is going to be healthy, but that's neither here nor there. He's on a new team. He's on the practice squad. He could be elevated on Sunday, according to how these guys recovered through in the course of the week. Joe, you think this is a good idea? No brainer. What do you think about the signing of OBJ in Minnesota?

I don't know, Ocho, because for me it's like, is he really going to get an opportunity and a chance to really play? I mean, at this point, I can understand where Odell is coming from, bro. His love and passion for the game just won't give. You feel me? He enjoys playing the game of football. But is Minnesota going to give him a real opportunity to go out there and play? That's what I want to know. Or do they just have him for insurance? Like, okay, we may play, we may not. And I think a guy his caliber who's been, you know, a number one throughout his career, I think these are some trying times for him, bro. These are some challenges that he's going to have to overcome because y'all know, as we get older, hey man, they trying to go younger any damn way. You know, they ain't studying the name on the back of their damn jersey. They worried about the name across the front. You feel me? So if he's going to get a real opportunity, yeah, I want to see it because it looks like he's working hard. You know, obviously, what he did for the Giants, you know, it kind of sucks that they let him go, Unc and Ocho, you know what I mean? But you still get a chance to play football, bro. Let's see what happens. Yeah, I think that's the biggest thing. You know, Glides, look, we're all ex-professional athletes and we're the last one to see it go. And it's hard for us to let it go.