Just hours after he made his debut for the Minnesota Vikings in a blowout Week 9 loss to the Buffalo Bills, Odell Beckham Jr. was released by the franchise.

Beckham had spent the last few weeks on the Vikings’ practice squad and was even elevated to the active roster in Week 5, but didn’t play against the New Orleans Saints.

Despite Beckham being re-signed to Minnesota’s practice squad, former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman was dismayed on the wide receiver’s behalf.

Shawne Merriman Upset by Odell Beckham Jr.’s Vikings Release

Following Beckham’s release, former NFL linebacker Shawne Merriman reflected on his own experience with roster uncertainty, which he said contributed to his decision to retire in March 2013 after completing the 2012 season with Buffalo.

“This is honestly what pushed me to retirement; after being cut and released and making it back on the Bills roster for the season, I called it after. It’s part of the business but absolutely one of the hardest things to deal with,” Merriman wrote on X.

After representing the Maryland Terrapins in college football, Merriman was selected No. 12 overall by the San Diego Chargers (now L.A. Chargers) in the 2005 NFL Draft. He was named the NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year, establishing himself as one of the league’s most promising prospects.

Merriman led the league in sacks, earned three Pro Bowl nods, and received one First-team and one Second-team All-Pro selection before being waived by the Chargers due to his persistent injury problems. He joined the Buffalo Bills in 2010, was released in 2012, re-signed midway through the season, and finally retired at the end of the season.

Earlier this year, Beckham worked out with his former team, the New York Giants, and made the 53-man roster. He played for the Giants in three games before being cut and signed to the Vikings’ practice squad in October.

After being elevated to the active roster, he didn’t manage any receptions in the Vikings’ Week 9 loss to the Bills, playing just two snaps. Beckham’s release on Tuesday was done to clear a roster spot for quarterback Kirk Cousins, who was acquired from the Las Vegas Raiders to help alleviate the team’s issues under center.

Beckham has played just 27 total games since 2022 and is a far cry from the player who had the best season of his career in 2015 when he amassed 1,450 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns on 96 receptions, earning the league’s second-highest PFN WR Impact metric score of 92.1.

While his career seems to be fizzling out, he could still have a slim path back to the Vikings’ active roster, since he’s back on the practice squad.

On the other hand, Beckham could be an option for his old team, the Los Angeles Rams, whom he joined in the middle of the 2021 season. He was instrumental in the Rams’ Super Bowl LVI win, even scoring a touchdown against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Los Angeles’ wide receiver room is light with Davante Adams’ lingering medial hamstring tear, Puka Nacua’s turf toe injury necessitating placement on injured reserve, and Jordan Whittington also suffering the same fate.

The Rams re-signed Xavier Smith to bolster their receiver room, but with the mounting injuries, OBJ could be an outside option as a man with some familiarity in Sean McVay’s offense.