Look: Vikings players wearing ‘Free Odell’ shirts in pregame warmups (Photo)
By Josh Hill
The Odell Beckham Jr drama is rippling across the NFL as the star receiver prepares to hit waivers this week.
Odell Beckham Jr is preparing to play for his third NFL team after the Cleveland Browns released him on Friday morning.
Beckham’s release was the final stage of a rapid disintegration of the relationship between himself, the Browns, and quarterback Baker Mayfield. Rather than allow potshots between its starting quarterback and star receiver, Cleveland decided to cut bait and move on from OBJ rather than allow potential negative effects in the locker room.
Cleveland is 4-4 entering the weekend, which is good for last place in the AFC North but still has the Browns on the fringes of the Wild Card race.
The Browns tried trading Beckham ahead of last Tuesday’s deadline but were unable to find a partner. Now Beckham be free to sign with whichever team wants him, preferably a team that’s a playoff contender.
One team that doesn’t really fall into that category is the Minnesota Vikings. Currently in a free fall, the Vikings could no doubt bolster its offense by adding Beckham but their chances of being contenders for a Super Bowl are outweighed by so many other teams in the league.
That’s not stopping players in Minnesota from voicing their support of Beckham and his circumstance.
Why did Vikings players wear Free Odell shirts Week 9?
Ahead of their Week 9 matchup with the Baltimore Ravens, several Vikings players were spotted wearing ‘Free Odell’ shirts. These players included Justin Jefferson, who went to LSU but not at the same time as OBJ, and Cam Dantzler, who grew up in Louisiana.
Several #Vikings players out here in “Free Odell” shirts for warmups. This is Cam Dantzler, who grew up in Louisiana with Beckham. Justin Jefferson is also wearing one for his fellow LSU alum. pic.twitter.com/9LKKQIXF8U
— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) November 7, 2021
It’s being pointed out that these shirts are a tad misguided since Beckham is already free. That’s only partially true. Cleveland cut him, which technically frees him from being stuck with the Browns but he’s not officially a free agent yet.
Beckham must clear waivers before he’s allowed to make his own decision. Until all 31 other teams pass on claiming him, he’s has absolutely zero control on where he plays.
Right now the Jacksonville Jaguars are the first team on the waiver wire. Should they place a claim on him, he would not reach free agency.
Beckham carries a hefty price tag at the moment, as teams would take a $7 million-plus hit by claiming him. This should deter teams like the Lions, Jets, and others from claiming him when he doesn’t improve their chances of winning. It might not scare off teams like the Seahawks — who have cap space to spare, even though they’re a good fit — or the Eagles — who might be under the illusion they’re contenders.