The Minnesota Vikings and star WR Justin Jefferson have reportedly come to terms on a massive 4 year, $140M contract according to sources.
The deal, which purportedly features $110M in guaranteed money, will make Jefferson the highest paid non-QB in NFL history. It also dwarfs the amount of guaranteed money that several of the offseason’s high profile WR contracts featured as well ($84M for A.J. Brown, $77M for Amon-Ra St. Brown, and $76M for Jaylen Waddle).
A whopping $88.743M will be due at signing, as Minnesota locks up a key piece of their offence through the 2028 NFL campaign.
“From the moment I arrived in Minnesota, Justin has consistently proven to be one of the best players in the NFL on and off the field and we are excited about having him as a cornerstone of our team for a long time to come,” Vikings GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah said. “He is the living embodiment of our culture with his joyful dedication to process and our goals. We couldn’t be more excited for Justin and his family.”
The deal brings to an end a stalemate in negotiations between the club and its most prolific wide receiver since Randy Moss donned a Vikings jersey. The 24 year old was reported to have declined a previous extension offer from Minnesota prior to the start of the 2023 season. That deal was rumoured to have been valued at $28M per season.
Jefferson now stands to make $35M in AAV over the lifetime of his new contract.
Over the course of his NFL career, the former LSU standout has hauled in 392 catches for 5,899 yards and 30 touchdowns. His 98.3 yards per game is the most in NFL history, and has led to him earning numerous accolades including the 2022 Offensive Player of the Year award.
“The time has finally come. The deal I’ve been waiting for since I was a little kid,” Jefferson said in a social media post. “Being doubted my whole career. Not being highly recruited. Not being the first receiver off the draft board. This whole journey wasn’t easy for me. To be given a gift to play football at the highest level, it’s a blessing. It’s an honor.”
Vikings owners Mark and Zygi Wilf also released a statement saying that Jefferson has “earned this contract, and we are thrilled he will remain a Minnesota Viking for a very long time.”
Despite rumours that Jefferson was being included in potential pre-draft trades, nothing ever materialized, which cleared the way for “J.J.” to remain in Minnesota through the prime of his career.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: All-Pro Reels. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic license.