Although Justin Jefferson’s contract is about to expire, reports indicate that the Minnesota Vikings are getting ready to make him an unprecedented contract offer.
“James Jefferson is expected to become the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history when this deal gets done, and I think it will eventually get done,” ESPN’s Adam Schefter stated on Wednesday’s SportsCenter.
“So it will be a landmark type of a deal, and I think some of the other wide receivers are waiting to see where the Justin Jefferson deal comes in before they do a deal because they know the size and scope of this deal that the two sides have been working on throughout the course of the offseason.”
Before the 2023 season, the San Francisco 49ers gave pass-rusher Nick Bosa a five-year, $170 million agreement, making him the highest-paid defensive player in NFL history.
According to Schefter’s report, Jefferson is expected to earn more than the $34 million a year that Bosa receives from his contract.
This would also place him much ahead of his other wide receivers. A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles earns $32 million annually, which is the highest of any wide receiver, according to Spotrac.
It is hardly surprising that Jefferson would be eligible for such a contract.
Considering he is only 24 years old and has already won three Pro Bowl selections, been named to the All-Pro first team, and won the Offensive Player of the Year award in four seasons, his CV is impressive. In 2022, he set NFL records with receiving yards (1,809), receptions (128), and receiving yards per game (106.4).
Since the main NFL media has decided that Justin Jefferson’s decision to skip the Minnesota Vikings’ optional organized practice is news, I suppose it’s time to talk about his contract issue once more.
Vikings supporters have gone through this exercise what seems like a thousand times by now.
We endured the same rumors during the previous offseason, and no deal was reached.
The possibility that Jefferson wouldn’t want to play with a different quarterback was frequently brought up by pundits when Kirk Cousins was set to become a free agent. Sadly, unless Jefferson signs a contract extension with Minnesota and puts pen to paper, this cycle will continue.
Regarding Minnesota’s ability to re-sign Jefferson, I have no concerns. The team intends to extend Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, the general manager, as he has said on several occasions.
He obviously isn’t able to communicate with absolutes. He has, nonetheless, shown all of his strength without totally committing to something that hasn’t occurred yet.
Sadly, Jefferson’s only real choice if the Vikings want to keep him is to threaten to sit him out.
The expected 2025 WR franchise tag is $24.8 million; if Jefferson is tagged twice, he would receive $29.7 million in 2026.
For the NFL’s top receiver, that’s a steal. In 2027, Minnesota may even offer him a third tag for $42.8 million. A.J. Brown signed a three-year, $96 million agreement with the Philadelphia Eagles this summer; on average, those three years would work out to nearly $32.5 million each season.
The Vikings shouldn’t be concerned about losing Jefferson to free agency because of the franchise tag option.
The optimal outcome, though, would be a long-term contract that would satisfy Jefferson and enable the club to make clear financial plans for the future. What sort of agreement then completes this move?
To assist Jefferson know what to expect, let’s look at four contracts.
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