Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson addressed the media from the TCO Performance Center during 2023 Mandatory Minicamp. Jefferson won the 2023 Offensive Rookie of the Year award and enters Year 4 as a pro in 2023.
Quarterbacks Jalen Hurts and Justin Herbert were paid this offseason, so Justin Jefferson’s has to be next, right?
All three men are products of the 2020 NFL Draft, meaning eligibility for extensions was this offseason.
But as of July 26th, Jefferson has yet to fetch his next big deal. He and Joe Burrow, his college teammate, are ‘next’ by most experts’ prognostications.
Jefferson’s contract extension could hit at any minute, but in the meantime, the 24-year-old is pretty chill about the situation — a stance that wouldn’t be held by everyone in his spot.
Vikings training camp formally kicked off this week, and Jefferson was predictably asked about his would-be extension. He replied, “That’s not the worry that I have right now. It’s really about winning a Super Bowl, getting the wins, and being with my team.”
At minicamp in June, Jefferson offered a similar reply, “The contract is going to come with the game.” The Vikings leadership and Jefferson personally have hinted all offseason that an extension was afoot, minus any drama regarding ‘will they or won’t they.’
“I’m just blessed to be in that type of situation to have a lot on my plate,” Jefferson said in June.
Jefferson ranks tops in NFL history for receiving yards in a player’s first three seasons and holds Vikings single-season team records in receptions and receiving yards. The man has taken the franchise and NFL by the throat. That’s why the contract extension hubbub is such a no-brainer. He’s the face of the Minnesota Vikings — and a franchise’s Holy Grail — young, charismatic, and the best on the planet at his craft. The man even nibbled at single-season receiving yard records in 2022, just his third year in the league. So, the Vikings are absolutely steadfast and committed to keeping Jefferson glued to the franchise. They’ve never wavered when asked about Jefferson’s upcoming contract extension.
Minnesota picked up Jefferson’s fifth-year contractual option this offseason, so no matter what, Jefferson is guaranteed to be with the club through the end of the 2024 season. His contract extension will be reached long before that — and should fetch between $30 and $35 million per year.
Jefferson’s teammate, Danielle Hunter, also arrived at training camp, as fans wondered if the defender would show up at all. Hunter is seeking an extension and was absent from minicamp last month, unlike Jefferson. The 28-year-old is staging a ‘hold in,’ not a holdout, where he won’t practice but will avoid daily fines merely by being present at TCO Performance Center.
The Vikings first preseason kicks off on August 10th at Seattle — or two weeks from today.
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.