The Minnesota Vikings are facing a busy offseason, and one of their top priorities is signing wide receiver Justin Jefferson to a long-term contract extension.
Jefferson has been a great asset to the team throughout the first four years of his rookie contract, earning three Pro Bowl selections. He signed a 4-year, $13.1 million deal after being selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
The Vikings picked up Jefferson’s 5th-year option for next season, but they were unable to reach a contract extension before the 2023 campaign.
Jefferson has expressed his desire to have his contract extended, but he is waiting for the team’s quarterback situation to be resolved before committing to a long-term deal, according to a report from NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, Tom Pelissero, and Mike Garafolo.
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Complicating matters is that superstar receiver Justin Jefferson is also up for a new contract after talks didn’t yield a deal before last season. Jefferson is a Cousins fan and will want to know the quarterback plan before signing on for the long haul.
Jefferson has been vocal about his support for Kirk Cousins, the team’s quarterback who suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in Week 8 and will be a free agent this offseason.
Jefferson has performed exceptionally well with Cousins under center, earning a Pro Bowl selection in each of his first three seasons with the team. He was also named a 1st-team All-Pro in 2022 after leading the NFL in both catches and receiving yards with 128 and 1,809 respectively.
Despite missing seven games last season due to a hamstring injury, Jefferson still posted impressive numbers with 1,074 receiving yards and 5 touchdowns in just 10 games played.
