By admin 
The Minnesota Vikings are 5-0 and off this week, but they still had a visitor at TCO Performance Center on Monday. JuJu Smith-Schuster worked out for the team, according to NFL insider Aaron Wilson, less than a week after Minnesota added Odell Beckham Jr. to its practice squad.
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So, are the Vikings signing JuJu Smith-Schuster? Nothing has been announced. A workout doesn’t guarantee a contract, and teams regularly bring in veterans during a bye week to keep their emergency list current. Still, the timing says the front office is shopping for receiver depth, and it isn’t hard to see why.
Why the Vikings are looking at receivers
Justin Jefferson missed the Week 4 win over Miami with an ankle sprain before returning against the Saints with six catches for 79 yards and a touchdown. Jordan Addison didn’t make it back. He was inactive with a hamstring injury, and so was Beckham, who was elevated Saturday as insurance and never suited up.
That left a thin group behind Jefferson in New Orleans. Jauan Jennings played 49 snaps, Tai Felton played 47, Myles Price played 14 and Jeshaun Jones played six, according to PFF. Felton and Jennings finished with offensive grades of 53.5 and 47.3.
Smith-Schuster wouldn’t arrive as a savior. He’s 29, and his 2025 season in Kansas City produced 33 catches for 345 yards and one touchdown in 17 games. The Giants signed him in June and released him in August. What he does bring is experience, with 481 career catches and a 1,426-yard season for the Steelers back in 2018.
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He would also give the Vikings a younger option than Beckham. The 33-year-old played three games for the Giants earlier this season before being released, so there’s no guarantee he’s ready to handle real snaps.
What could happen next
The likeliest outcome is a practice squad deal, the same path Beckham took. It wouldn’t cost Minnesota a spot on the 53-man roster, and it would give head coach Kevin O’Connell another veteran who could be elevated if Addison’s hamstring lingers.
The Vikings could also pass. Addison has two weeks to heal before the Colts visit U.S. Bank Stadium on Oct. 25, and if he’s back to full speed, the need shrinks. Plenty of bye-week workouts end with nothing more than a name on a list.
An active-roster signing only looks likely if something changes, like a setback for Addison or another injury once practice resumes. Until then, Minnesota has a 5-0 record, a healthy Jefferson and a decision that can wait until Addison’s status is clearer.
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More on the Minnesota Vikings
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- Caleb Banks Highlights Mixed Early Grade for Vikings’ 2026 Draft Class
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This story was originally published October 12, 2026 at 3:30 PM.