Justin Jefferson issues a 2-Word Message on His Future to Vikings

Justin Jefferson had a rough four years with the Minnesota Vikings.

He waited patiently for the Vikings to make him the highest-paid wide receiver in football. He said all the right things when he appeared during Super Bowl week in Las Vegas. There, national media pundits asked him for signs of his upset over the Vikings not wearing a ring.

But now that the bills are on the table, it’s time for the Vikings to pick them up. “I’m waiting,” Jefferson said on “The Rich Eisen Show” on Feb. 8. “Like you, I’m looking for my bag. I await your call to experience this with my family. This is life changing. “I’m looking forward to it,” he said.

Justin Jefferson expects the Vikings to live up to his value.

Jefferson is entering the fifth and final year of his rookie deal this year and is on the verge of a record-breaking contract extension after the Vikings and his front office neared a deal the night before the 2023 season began.

The two sides have been in contact but have delayed a final decision until the 2024 season. With that decision, the Vikings will have to answer for Jefferson about what their future will look like after missing a playoff game in four years with the team. “There are conversations and stories. We communicate well and try to stay on the same page. I know it’s coming. I’m not in a hurry. As I’ve said all season, I’m focused on football. “I know what I’m getting and what I’m worth,” Jefferson said. “I feel like I have the right people and support system around me to make sure I get everything I have to offer and that no one takes advantage of me.”

Jefferson’s values were unquestionable throughout his four-year career. His 5,899 receiving yards are more than any player in NFL history through his first four seasons. His starting contract is worth more than $30 million a year after Tyreek Hill resets the market in the 2021 offseason, putting him in shape to become the highest-paid quarterback in the league.

Besides money, the biggest obstacle to contract negotiations is the direction of the Vikings franchise, which is on the verge of throwing the ball to Jefferson next season.

Justin Jefferson discusses Kirk Cousins’ future with the Vikings.

The future at quarterback is the No. 1 question the Vikings and Jefferson’s camp face in contract negotiations.

Kirk Cousins is a rising free agent who is making a splash in the NFL despite his Achilles injury. As Jefferson continues to rack up records, having his cousins around may be enough to keep him happy in the short term.

But once things calm down and Jefferson signs a new contract, there won’t be enough money. He wants to play in the Super Bowl.

This will be a tough situation as the Vikings roster has been depleted since the 2017 NFC Championship Game. Because of the low drafts of the last four years (two of them by Rick Spielman), rebuilding with valuable free agents was the only option. With Jefferson and Cousins making more than $30 million a year, a significant contract would be difficult. Another option is unknown, one that even Jefferson is reluctant to accept.

“I want [cousin] to stay. I hope he stays in touch with him. Building a relationship with a new quarterback will be difficult. I don’t know if we will prepare the project. I don’t know if we’ll ever get one. “It’s a little bit of a tough situation,” Jefferson said. “I want him back. I want him in the locker room.”