ST. PAUL -- It’s only a matter of time before Justin Jefferson secures the bag.
Since the end of last season, the Minnesota Vikings have been working closely with Jefferson to negotiation a contract extension that would presumably make him the soon-to-be 24-year-old the highest-paid receiver in the NFL
In the meantime, the Vikings formally exercise the fifth-year option for Jefferson on Tuesday afternoon, which keeps him under contract through 2024.
After establishing himself as perhaps the best player in the NFL at his position, Jefferson is currently set to make a base salary of $2.4 million in 2023 and a base salary of $19.7 million in 2024. The contract extension Jefferson is eligible for would begin in 2025.
“I will be wherever I’m wanted,” Jefferson said in January when asked about a possible contract extension. “If they want me here, I’m here.”
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Originally selected by the Vikings in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft, Jefferson has already put himself in the same conversation as the legendary Randy Moss for the best receiver in franchise history.
His best performance to date came last season when Jefferson led the NFL with 128 receptions and 1,809 yards last season en route to being named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year. To this point in his career, Jefferson has 324 receptions and 4,825 yards, most of any player in NFL history through their first three seasons.
Those numbers speak for themselves and they are going to get Jefferson paid a lot of money. Looking at the rest of the market, Jefferson is likely to make more than Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill, who recently signed a 4-year, $120 million deal that pays him $30 million annually, and Raiders receiver Davante Adams, who recently signed a 5-year, $140 million deal that pays him $28 million annually.
Though if it’s unclear how close the Vikings are to making it happen, it seems like only a matter of time before it does. As general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said in February when asked about Jefferson at the NFL Combine.
“I don’t want to be the Vikings GM without this guy on our team,” Adofo-Mensah said. It’s a priority.”
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