The off-season brings about a lot of uncertainty for players in terms of their contracts, and this year, Justin Jefferson is sadly one of them. The brilliant wide receiver is currently undergoing long contract talks with the Minnesota Vikings and they’ve made little headway. The team hasn’t been able to give Jefferson the kind of contract extension he wants, and to make matters worse, the Vikings WR’s New York appearance is sparking questions about a trade.
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Sources: Star WR Justin Jefferson was spotted in Florham Park, NJ, over the weekend, which is where the Jets facility is located.
Jefferson is looking for a new contract with the Vikings. It’s possible MIN could trade him if they can’t come to terms on a new deal (opinion)
— Pat Ragazzo (@ragazzoreport) May 20, 2024
Jefferson was recently spotted in Jersey, close to the NY Jets’ practice facility. With the ambiguity that surrounds his contract, the WR’s sudden presence in New York is being attributed to a possible trade. With just days left before the mandatory sessions start for the Vikings, they have to make this tough decision. Jefferson has been a huge asset for Minnesota until now, but failed contract talks can easily see him ply his trade elsewhere.
As of now, the wide receiver is due to make 9.743 million under his fifth-year option. However, as per NBC Sports, a new multi-season deal with a few guaranteed years could replace his current earnings. Moreover, when it comes to monetary compensation, Jefferson deserves a higher pay than the average WR and even the Vikings have made this clear in the past.
According to The Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, JJ should be getting paid at the level of the highest non-QB players in the league. For context, that belongs to Nick Bosa, who earns a whopping $34 million per year due to a new 5-year extension signed in 2023. The only question is will the Vikings commit to JJ or will they consider the other options they have at the WR position?
If not Justin Jefferson then who?
If The Vikings cannot afford Justin Jefferson’s ask, they will have to trade the WR. However, before looking into trading they have to consider the depth and the impact of their WR chart. Although there is yet to be a final answer for the stalemate between JJ and the Vikings, their WR situation is getting more complicated by the hour.
The Vikings didn’t pick any WRs during the 2024 Draft. All they’ve done in terms of adding WRs is bring in Ty James, Devron Harper, and Jeshaun Jones as undrafted free agents. Moreover, in terms of options already present with The Vikings, they can use players like Brandon Powell, Trent Sherfield, and Jalen Nailor.
Considering Minnesota’s current depth chart, Justin Jefferson remains their best option on the gridiron. With the kind of talent he possesses as a receiver, Jefferson is the kind of weapon who can turn a team’s season around. Now, only time will tell if the Vikings will choose to retain this weapon or trade it away.
