3 Rams players Kevin O’Connell can poach for the Vikings
By John Buhler
Kevin O’Connell has a great opportunity to see if any of these Los Angeles Rams free agents want to follow him to the Minnesota Vikings.
Kevin O’Connell has left the Super Bowl 56 champion Los Angeles Rams to go lead the Minnesota Vikings.
Though he was not officially hired until after the Super Bowl, the Vikings tabbed the former Rams offensive coordinator to be Mike Zimmer’s long-term successor. O’Connell had the makings of a head coach dating back to his playing days. The Sean McVay connection may have helped him get the Minnesota job, but O’Connell goes to a situation where the team is expected to compete now.
If he wants to succeed in the Twin Cities, look for O’Connell and new Vikings general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah to pursue any of these three 2021 Rams in 2022 NFL free agency.
Minnesota Vikings: 3 free agents Kevin O’Connell can pry away from L.A. Rams
51. Scouting Report. Pick Analysis. Los Angeles Rams. Odell Beckham Jr.. 3. player. WR
Odell Beckham Jr. may have a torn ACL, but could thrive in a complementary role
Odell Beckham Jr.’s free agency was going to be fascinating before he tore his ACL minutes prior to halftime of the Super Bowl. During his brief run with the Rams, Beckham demonstrated a lot of what made him a superstar during his early days with the New York Giants. Though he is probably never going to get back to that level, he could embrace a complementary role with the Vikings.
A receiving corps of Beckham, Adam Thielen and fellow Bayou Bengal Justin Jefferson would be among the very best in the league. Beckham and Thielen may be slight redundancies, but these are three exceptionally skilled wide receivers. Given that Kirk Cousins throws an accurate football and Beckham would be playing in the same scheme he did in Los Angeles, this signing could work.
However, Beckham is part of the run-it-back crew in Los Angeles. Aaron Donald said for him to return to Los Angeles he needs Beckham, McVay and Von Miller to be coming back as well. Though Beckham was only seen as a short-term rental with the Rams last year to offset the season-ending injury to Robert Woods, he could still re-up with Los Angeles on a new contract anyway.
It will be interesting to see where Beckham winds up, but him following O’Connell is a real option.