Vikings Could Potentially Make WR Justin Jefferson The Highest Paid Non-QB In NFL History

Posted May 30, 20232 yr

Glad he's not the Eagles headache. Has this guy even won a playoff game?

https://brobible.com/sports/article/vikings-justin-jefferson-highest-paid-non-qb/

Vikings Could Potentially Make WR Justin Jefferson The Highest Paid Non-QB In NFL History

by Dov Kleiman
May 30, 2023 8:15 am

The Minnesota Vikings have expressed their intention to "prioritize” a contract extension for their star wide receiver, Justin Jefferson.

ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on SportsCenter that the Vikings are eager to secure Jefferson’s future and that he could potentially become the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL.

Fowler highlighted the escalating market for wide receivers, with players like Tyreek Hill and Davante Adams commanding salaries of $30 million or more.

Given Jefferson’s exceptional talent and his reputation as one of the best receivers in the league, Fowler speculated that his next contract could potentially reach $31 million per year, surpassing the current highest-paid non-quarterback, Aaron Donald of the Los Angeles Rams.

With Donald earning an average salary of $31.7 million and Hill close behind at $30 million, Jefferson’s desired extension could easily exceed $32 million given the current financial climate in the NFL.

Justin Jefferson has been nothing short of spectacular since entering the league three seasons ago. He has amassed impressive statistics, recording 324 receptions for 4,825 receiving yards and 25 touchdowns.

Paying Jefferson a top-tier salary might limit the team’s financial flexibility in retaining their current quarterback, Kirk Cousins, who is set to become a free agent in 2024, if they so choose.

In the 2023 NFL Draft, the team selected USC wide receiver Jordan Addison in the 1st round. This move could potentially indicate that the team is prioritizing its receiving corps over other positions, which may add intrigue for Jefferson’s contract negotiations.

It is worth noting that Justin Jefferson is currently under contract with the Vikings until the end of the 2024 season. Therefore, there is no immediate cause for concern. However, if negotiations for a new deal fail to materialize over the next year, the Vikings will be faced with a crucial decision regarding the future of their star receiver.

May 30, 20232 yr

But if they do that, how will they afford Reagor's extension?

May 31, 20232 yr

Author

:roll: :roll: :roll: - stick a fork in the Vikings

https://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2023/05/30/vikings-contract-structure-could-complicate-justin-jefferson-deal/

Vikings’ contract structure could complicate Justin Jefferson deal

Posted by Mike Florio on May 30, 2023, 10:42 PM EDT

Vikings receiver Justin Jefferson‘s absence from offseason workouts isn’t accidental. He wants a new contract. He has earned a new contract. And he has no reason to show up without one.

The Vikings obviously want to give him a contract. The sticking points will be the amount and the structure.

When it comes to new money, Jefferson has every right to except to re-set the market, surpassing the $30 million annual value of Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill‘s contract.

When it comes to structure, and as a league source explained it to PFT, the Vikings typically insist on a structure that entails injury guarantees that don’t become fully guaranteed until the year the money is earned. It gives the Vikings an annual out, as long as the player is healthy.

The Vikings broke that precedent for quarterback Kirk Cousins. Will they do it for Jefferson?

I asked a source involved in the Jefferson negotiations whether the Vikings’ guarantee structure will be an issue. The response was simple.

"We’ll see.”

Indeed we will.

Jefferson is currently the best receiver in the NFL. He gets open consistently, he catches everything thrown his way, and he holds onto the ball no matter how hard he’s being hit.

To get this done, the team likely needs to be willing to fully guarantee at least two if not three years of the deal. And the deal needs to pay plenty for one of the most important players on the team.

That’s the reality of scratching off a lottery ticket in the first round of the draft and having it hit. The jackpot eventually gets paid out by, not to, the winner.

The better the player, the bigger the jackpot.

May 31, 20232 yr

Good luck to the Vikings. Jefferson is such a great player but he’s a WR and that’s not a team that is ready to win whilst paying a WR a huge contract.