Vikings GM Updates Justin Jefferson Contract Situation
After quarterback Kirk Cousins was injured in Week 8 at Lambeau Field, Minnesota Vikings fans aren’t quite sure what to expect the rest of the way.
Vikings GM Updates Justin Jefferson Contract Situation
Rookie passer Jaren Hall will get an audition this Sunday at the Atlanta Falcons, but if he falters, alternative options like Joshua Dobbs, Nick Mullens, and Sean Mannion are available for Week 10 and beyond.
And no matter how the 2023 season shakes out, as soon as it’s over, all Vikings-themed matters will focus on two items:
- Who’s the QB in 2024?
- When does Justin Jefferson sign an extension?
While the first line of business, the Vikings quarterback plans, will remain unknown until February, March, and April, the team’s general manager, Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, provided clarity about the latter on Tuesday, Jefferson’s eventual extension.
The takeaway? It’s on the way; it’s just not a straightforward “sign here.”
Adofo-Mensah told reporters Wednesday, “There’s a reason they don’t normally get done two years early, and I’ll kind of leave it at that. You can look at salary caps and contracts and new money and all that stuff.”
When a deal is finalized, whenever that may be, Jefferson is expected to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
“The dialogue was always super positive. We think he’s the best receiver in the league, and we want him to be a Viking for a long time. I think that’s how we start. We’ll figure out the rest,” Adofo-Mensah concluded.
Wednesday’s musings from Adofo-Mensah aligned with a year-long string of comments from himself, the Vikings head coach, the team’s ownership, and Jefferson personally. Since the start of 2023, dating back to January, everyone involved has affirmed a deal will get done — it’s just a matter of when and how much.
“I don’t want to be the Vikings’ GM without that guy on our team,’ Adofo-Mensah declared at the 2023 NFL Combine.
Adofo-Mensah added in February, “So it’s a high priority. We’ve got to make sure we do in the order that we can do it in, obviously, given all of our other decisions we have to make.”
Thankfully for Vikings fans’ sake, folks can rest easy about the eventual outcome of Jefferson. The deal will get done; there’s no mystery about it. But until the agreement is reached, it’s a waiting game.
Jefferson is expected to return from injured reserve next week or is at least eligible.
Dustin Baker is a political scientist who graduated from the University of Minnesota in 2007. Subscribe to his daily YouTube Channel, VikesNow. He hosts a podcast with Bryant McKinnie, which airs every Wednesday with Raun Sawh and Sal Spice. His Vikings obsession dates back to 1996. Listed guilty pleasures: Peanut Butter Ice Cream, ‘The Sopranos,’ Basset Hounds, and The Doors (the band).
All statistics provided by Pro Football Reference / Stathead; all contractual information provided by OverTheCap.com.
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