All of the Sudden, Justin Jefferson’s Contract Looks a Little Sweeter
No doubt, there were times when fans of the Minnesota Vikings were worried about the Justin Jefferson extension. Kwesi Adofo-Mensah — someone who may have had a few nervous moments, as well — didn’t break any speed records before constructing a four-year, $140 million deal for Minnesota’s WR1.
The payday is hefty, but the more recent context makes it look a little sweeter. Consider the update from ESPN’s Adam Schefter as it relates to Jets WR1 Garrett Wilson: “ESPN sources: Jets and wide receiver Garrett Wilson reached agreement on a four-year, $130 million contract extension that includes $90 million guaranteed. It marks the first time in NFL history that a receiver has received an average over $31 million after playing only three seasons. Wilson now will be under contract the next six seasons, through 2030.”
Justin Jefferson, Garrett Wilson, & The NFL’s WR Contracts
Start off with a simple reality: Mr. Wilson is a WR1 who still has a pile of play ahead of him given that he’s only 24 (his birthday is on July 22nd).
Since being chosen at No. 10 in the 2022 NFL Draft, Wilson has done some good things for the largely hapless and hopeless Jets. The playmaker won Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022 — the same season where Mr. Jefferson earned Offensive Player of the Year — after snagging 82 receptions for 1,103 yards and 4 scores. He has since surpassed 1,000 yards in the next two seasons while eclipsing the 100 receptions benchmark for the first time last year.
Wilson isn’t going to fool anyone for Calvin Johnson — he stands at 6’0″ and weighs 183 pounds — but he’s an excellent young player who is being grafted onto New York’s roster for the long term. A large part of the appeal is that he ran a blistering 4.38 forty, a tremendously fast time that likely prompts corners to play off coverage, ask for safety help, or both.
Consider some more insights from Schefter. The league insider notes that the “$32.5m average per year is the 5th highest for a WR” while observing that Wilson has the “9th highest APY as % of the cap at signing for a WR.” Still, one does wonder about the cost.
Across those four seasons, Garrett Wilson is just $10 million below Justin Jefferson. Wilson’s deal is for four years and $130 million; Jefferson’s deal is for four years and $140 million. Is that all that separates the pair?
Now, in fairness, the Jets are a brutal team. The quarterback situation has been poor and the coaching hasn’t been top-tier, either. Minnesota, meanwhile, has worked through some QB turmoil — most notably in the 2023 season — while getting excellent coaching from Kevin O’Connell, the reigning Coach of the Year.
Press the point a bit further, though. Jefferson’s most modest season — 2023 — looks like a normal Garrett Wilson season. Jefferson finished his year with 68 catches, 1,074 yards, and 5 touchdowns. He did so while missing seven full games and part of two more. Even worse, the Vikings were shuffling through all of Kirk Cousins, Nick Mullens, Jaren Hall, and Joshua Dobbs.
So, a touch odd to see the deals so close even if Wilson is a great player.
A pertinent detail to note is that Jefferson’s cap charges are soon going to explode. He’s sitting at a very affordable $15,167,600 in 2025. In 2026, the number balloons to $38,987,600 before surpassing $40 million by a decent bit in both of 2027 and 2028.
In other words, Justin Jefferson appears likely to get his deal adjusted before too long. Doing so will mean lowering his short-term cap charges while beefing up the compensation for #18.
Earlier in the offseason, the Jets did the Vikings a favor by hiring Aaron Glenn. Doing so stripped the Lions of their defensive coordinator, weakening the NFC North’s top team in the process.
The Jets and Vikings aren’t scheduled to play in 2025. The possibility exists that they could see each other in the Super Bowl — however unlikely — given that New York is in the AFC while Minnesota is in the NFC.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
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