What Does ‘No Major Rush’ Mean for Jefferson Extension?
Dustin Baker
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Last week, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler said on SportsCenter that the Minnesota Vikings are in no big hurry to secure Justin Jefferson for the long term.
The announcement — or theory — caused a few head scratches from Vikings fans.
What Does ‘No Major Rush’ Mean for Jefferson Extension?
“Could be big money on the way at some point. The Vikings believe that he’s a cornerstone player, the best receiver in the league. They want to sign him to an extension at some point. Two potential hurdles in the way, though. He’s only three years into a rookie deal that has two years left with a fifth-year option, so not in a major rush to do it right now,” Fowler surmised.
He added, “And then the market for receivers, you’re looking at around $30 million or more. Tyreek Hill makes $30 million a year on a big deal but they might need to make Jefferson the highest-paid non-quarterback in the league. So, those are some hurdles but certainly the Vikings want to do this at some point. Jefferson is expected at training camp regardless.”
So, what does this mean? Well, here you go.
Inevitability
From the moment the 2023 offseason began, the Vikings, Jefferson, and anyone remotely in the team’s orbit have stated Jefferson will remain in purple and that an eventual extension was a no-brainer. Nobody has hinted that Minnesota is confused about prolonging the Jefferson relationship — at all.
At the Vikings year-end press conference, three days after the club disappointingly lost to the New York Giants, general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah called the Jefferson extension matter champagne problems. Paying the best wide receiver in football is a good problem to have.
Jefferson has tabulated herculean numbers through three years, replacing Stefon Diggs — and then some — at a clip never envisioned by Vikings fans or anyone, really.
Adofo-Mensah may be found criminally insane he if told reporters that Jefferson wasn’t a long-term priority or that the team is choosing to invest assets elsewhere. Plus, Jefferson is the face of the franchise, and for marketing purposes, plus a side dish of leadership, that’s everything in sports.
The sooner you realize that Jefferson’s long-term tenure with the Vikings is only a matter of when and not if, it’s easier to understand his extension situation. The deal is inevitable. Absolutely inevitable.
Jefferson Not Antsy about New Deal
This isn’t like the current Danielle Hunter saga, where a phenom talent is holding out hell or high water for a new contract. Jefferson knows it’s coming — Hunter does not. Well, Hunter can infer his extension is coming from somewhere; it’s just unclear whether that’s from the Vikings or a different NFL team.
Jefferson was asked about his attendance at next month’s training camp last week, and he replied to reporters, “Will I be here? Oh yeah. The contract is not really something I’m really worrying about. It’s really about doing what I need to do to get this team to where we want to go.”
Perhaps if Jefferson held out of minicamp, like Hunter, the Vikings sense of urgency would spike. But such is not the case — and Jefferson is a Viking no matter what for the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Jefferson told the Pioneer Press last summer, “I’ll focus on contract after the season. Our main thing is reaching to that goal, but I’m not really too fond of money. I’m really just trying to get that goal of being the best receiver.”
The man paved the way for contract extension talks in 2022 by stating he wasn’t fond of money. He will get paid; he knows it. He simply isn’t making a big fuss in June about it, as some players might.
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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