A Completely Dull Vikings Decision Awaits
If you’re looking for suspense, it may be preferable to look elsewhere. Scrounging up a copy of The Sixth Sense or The Silence of the Lambs could do the trick. Philip K. Dick novels can be riveting, and who doesn’t love re-reading Frodo’s adventures on the way to Mordor?
All of those options would offer more uncertainty than the Vikings decision that awaits.
Minnesota needs to decide whether to keep Justin Jefferson in town beyond just the initial 4 years of his rookie contract. What do you think the team will decide to do?
The Suspenseful Predictable Vikings Decision
By May 1, NFL teams need to decide whether to exercise the 5th-year option for their 2020 opening-round selections. Currently, teams have a bit more than a week to make the consequential decision. Applying that extra year means teams are committing to a serious financial commitment going into the 2024 season (unless, of course, there is an extension that gets negotiated).
The player we’re thinking of for Minnesota’s purposes is none other than Justin Jefferson.
The young phenom is, without question, one of the game’s very best players. Many (including yours truly) would contend he’s the NFL’s top wideout, which is no small feat given the presence of Davante Adams, Stefon Diggs, Ja’Marr Chase, Cooper Kupp, and many other incredible players.
At present, Minnesota hasn’t picked up the 5th-year option for Mr. Jefferson, but there’s really no suspense: they’ll be doing so. Everyone from Kwesi Adofo-Mensah downward has re-confirmed their commitment to the WR throughout the offseason. The team’s leadership has even been including him in conversations about the direction of the franchise.
A quick rundown of some of his accomplishments:
- 1400 yards in 2020, 1616 in 2021, and 1809 in 2022.
- 324 career catches and 25 career TDs.
- 3 Pro Bowls
- Runner up for Offensive Rookie of the Year
- Second-team All Pro in 2020 and 2021.
- First-team All Pro in 2022.
- Offensive Player of the Year in 2022.
- 5th in MVP voting in 2022.
Of course, we’re just capturing a brief snapshot of what he has done. The man has proven to be a great competitor and team leader, someone who clearly wants to win. His desire for greatness goes beyond just personal accolades to also include team success. If Minnesota somehow gets a Super Bowl in 2023, it’ll almost certainly be because Jefferson has put forth a Herculean effort.
We’ve all been keeping an eye on his contract situation. Most expect a hearty extension to arrive at some point during the offseason. Before that happens, we’ll almost certainly see the team pick up his 5th-year option.
The Vikings decision, in that sense, is pretty dull. Turning down the chance to lock him in for another guaranteed season would be foolish.
If things continue on their current trajectory, Justin Jefferson will finish his career as Minnesota’s best ever WR. That’s no small feat, folks. The Vikings have boasted Randy Moss, Cris Carter, Ahmad Rashad, Jake Reed, Adam Thielen, and Stefon Diggs. Topping all of those players speaks to the brilliance he displays.
Expect to see Jefferson kept in Minnesota for a long, long time. Oh, and if you’re looking for suspense before May 1, maybe find a movie or book. The Jefferson decision isn’t really one to be guessing about.
Jefferson is carrying a $4,175,438 cap hit into the season.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference and Over the Cap helped with this piece.
