Justin Jefferson Has a Neat Little Feather in Cap for 2023
Soon, Justin Jefferson will become the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.
The reigning Offensive Player of the Year is expected to net a contract extension this summer somewhere in the neighborhood of $30-$35 million per season.
Justin Jefferson Has a Neat Little Feather in Cap for 2023
And Jefferson can command such a purse with his status as one of the most feared players in the sport — so much so that he owns the best 2023 NFL MVP odds among non-quarterbacks.
That’s right. While still an extreme longshot to take home the league MVP trophy — no wide receiver has ever done so — Jefferson leads the pack behind obvious QB choices for the award. Quarterbacks Patrick Mahomes, Joe Burrow, and Josh Allen headline the field for MVP odds, possessing +700 probability of taking home the bacon.
Way down the line, to the tune of +10000 odds, Jefferson stands as the first non-quarterback on the list.
If one laid down a $100 bet on Jefferson to win the MVP chip, she’d receive $10,000 as payment if Jefferson ultimately won MVP voters’ hearts. So, yes — in the grand scheme of likelihood, Jefferson probably won’t take home the award, but of all players not employed as quarterbacks, sportsbooks believe it will be Jefferson who can do it, if anyone can.
After Jefferson for non-quarterbacks, Cooper Kupp (+15000) and Ja’Marr Chase (+15000) trail by even grimmer odds. Vegas evidently believes Kupp will get back on track after a forgettable 2022 Los Angeles Rams season, whereas Chase lives in the same territory as Jefferson — emerging as a superstar.
Vikings QB1 Kirk Cousins also ‘made the list’ for MVP candidates at +5000 odds, making Minnesota’s signal-caller the 17th-likeliest player to win the trophy in 2023.
Why are Jefferson’s odds so low, on the whole? Simple — the MVP award is a quarterback-only endeavor. No non-quarterback has won MVP since 2012 when former Viking Adrian Peterson achieved greatness and nearly set the record for most rushing yards in a single season. Since Peterson’s trophy hoist, Bradys, Rodgers’, Mannings, and Mahomeses, among other QBs, have pulled down the award.
After some mystery in the last few weeks involving Jefferson’s upcoming contract extension, the 24-year-old showed up at mandatory minicamp with a smile on his face. He told reporters, “I love being around the guys. I love being around the team. We want to win the Super Bowl this year.”
During his quest for that Super Bowl, he may not have glorious MVP odds, but no other non-quarterback supersedes Jefferson per Vegas’ forecast.
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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