It was about time. After months and months of anticipation, it finally happened. Wide receiver Justin Jefferson signed a massive extension with the Minnesota Vikings. The exact numbers are insane, as the wideout agreed to a four-year, $140 million extension to stay in Minnesota and serve as the team’s WR1 for years to come.
Jefferson is guaranteed $110 million of his contract and will remain on the team through the 2028 season. Funny enough, before the start of the 2023 season, the former LSU product declined the Vikings’ offer to pay him over $28 million annually. That decision paid off, as the extension will now pay him $35 million annually.
A well-deserved extension, here’s why the Vikings paid their man.
The Team’s Best First-Round Pick In Recent Memory
When the Vikings drafted Justin Jefferson at 22nd overall in the 2020 NFL Draft, no one was surprised. The team traded Stefon Diggs to the Buffalo Bills, and Adam Thielen isn’t WR1 material. Coming out of LSU, Jefferson was known to be a nice vertical threat with great hands. Concerns were raised about his ability to separate on the outside, but his ability to be a threat in the slot makes up for it.
We saw what Jefferson could do right off the bat. Appearing in all 16 games, the rookie had 88 catches for 1,400 yards and seven touchdowns. He finished second in rookie-of-the-year voting and showed the Vikings they made a great decision choosing him.
It was all uphill from there. Jefferson had 108 catches the next year, racking up 1,616 receiving yards and ten touchdowns. That year’s performance led to his second straight appearance in the NFL’s Pro Bowl.
Then, 2022 came. If there was any doubt that he would have a slump of some sort, there weren’t any that season. Playing in all 17 games, Jefferson led the league in receptions (128) and receiving yards (1,809), helping the Vikings reach the playoffs with a 13-4 record. He averaged 106.4 receiving yards per game, which was not only a career-high but also led the league in that category. Despite the team’s wild-card loss to the New York Giants, Jefferson would make his third straight Pro Bowl and also won Offensive Player of the Year.
Looks To Bounce Back in 2024
Before you start assuming things, no. Jefferson did not struggle in 2023. He had 68 catches for 1,074 and five touchdowns. But, he only played in 10 games due to a right hamstring injury that kept him out for seven games.
Regardless, the statistics he put up were fairly impressive and he led the team in receiving yards once again.
There’s no doubt Jefferson will be fully healthy and ready to go for 2024. It remains a question whether he will put up impressive numbers once more or if his production will suffer due to the uncertainty at quarterback (will it be the veteran Sam Darnold or rookie JJ McCarthy in week one?). Regardless, the former seems more likely, as the wideout is the best wide receiver in the game and will be a threat no matter who is under center.
Well-deserved of an extension, Justin Jefferson.
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Featured Image: David Berding/Fetty Images
