Oct 9, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports.
The Minnesota Vikings have been considered likely to extend reigning Offensive Player of the Year Justin Jefferson since the start of the offseason, and that theory grew white-out on Wednesday.
According to KFAN, the announcement could hit within the next 48 hours.
On Wednesday’s edition of the Power Trip Morning Show, KFAN’s Mark Rosen mentioned as the program ended, “Keep your eye on what’s going on with Justin Jefferson the next 48 hours.”
He also hinted that the news would be advantageous for fans and nothing weird or unforeseen.
Rosen is extremely credible, a part of the Minneapolis media market for decades. He isn’t known for ‘hot takes’ or stirring the pot. In that regard, the Jefferson tidbit at the end of the show should be considered believable and worthwhile. And why wouldn’t it? The Vikings have advertised their desire to afford Jefferson a long-term contract all offseason. Rosen’s comment is merely fruition in that sense.
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell talked to Pro Football Talk earlier this month and explained the state of Jefferson’s extension talks, “I don’t know if I’d put a timeline on it. I just know that, you know, we very much are looking forward to having Justin play here for a really long time. He has significantly impacted our organization in so many positive ways on and off the field. I look forward to when we get that done, and we can move forward knowing that Justin’s going to be here for the long term, and we will get that done.”
“Justin knows. His representation knows exactly how we feel about him. We’ll work through that process here over the rest of this spring on into summer, and then if we can get something done, nobody will be more excited about it than me, and we’ll be looking forward to seeing what Justin does in year two in this offense,” Minnesota’s skipper added.
Don’t look now, but Jefferson and the Vikings are exactly in ‘spring into summer’ territory. As in — this very minute.
And on Tuesday — the day before the Rosen revelation — O’Connell revisited the Jefferson-extension matter, “It’s one of those things that we’ve had great dialogue throughout the offseason, a lot of that will stay between Justin and I. But just know he’s getting good work wherever he’s spending his offseason. Look forward to having him here when he decides to come up, and I know his teammates will be excited about that.”
Since joining the Vikings in 2020, Jefferson leads the NFL in receiving yards, has set every receiving yards mark involving a player’s first three seasons (or xxx games of a career), and snatched single-season receiving yards and receptions Vikings records previously held by Randy Moss and Cris Carter. He’s also a three-time All-Pro, not bad for a player’s first three seasons.
His deal — perhaps in the next 48 hours — should net $30 to $35 million per season.
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.