While a handful of big-name NFL players have gotten contract extensions this offseason, Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson will reportedly not be one of them.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Saturday that the Vikings and Jefferson were unable to reach an agreement and will pick talks back up after the season.
Jefferson’s current deal runs through next season, so there isn’t exactly a cause for concern that he might hold out for the 2023 season. However, an extension now makes one less thing the Vikings need to worry about later and shows that they are serious about making a long-term commitment, both in terms of years and financials, to their franchise player.
Both Jefferson and the Vikings front office have implied it’s only a matter of time until a deal gets done, and it’s easy to understand why. The former LSU Tiger has had tremendous success in Minnesota, putting up 4,825 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns in his first three seasons. Jefferson set the Vikings single-season records in both receptions (128) and receiving yards (1,809) in the 2022 season. Both numbers also led the NFL.
Jefferson is expected to set the market and become the highest-paid wide receiver when he eventually gets his extension, so not signing yet has an impact on other wide receivers such as Tee Higgins or Ja’Marr Chase, both of whom also will be getting new contracts soon and will likely base their deals off of whatever Jefferson ends up getting.
The news that Jefferson and the Vikings couldn’t agree to a deal led to plenty of reactions across social media.
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