The Bank Has Been Broken: Justin Jefferson Signs a Massive Contract Extension with the Vikings
For nearly a year, the main topic of discussion in Minnesota has been in regard to Justin Jefferson and his next contract.
Of course, Jefferson is set to enter the fifth and final year of his rookie deal in 2024, and if the Vikings were unable to give him an extension this offseason, it would mean the receiver was destined for either free agency or the franchise tag.
Worry no longer, Vikings fans. The news on Monday morning is that Jefferson officially has his contract extension to keep him in Minnesota for years to come.
Justin Jefferson Inks Massive Extension with the Vikings
The news was reported by Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, who tweeted, “The #Vikings and All-Pro WR Justin Jefferson have a new deal to reset the WR market and make him the NFL’s highest-paid non-QB, sources tell me & @TomPelissero. It’s a mammoth, 4-year extension worth $140M — $35M per year — with $110M guaranteed.”
Jefferson said earlier this offseason that he wanted to “break the bank” with his next contract, and he certainly accomplished that. The wide receiver now becomes the highest-paid non-quarterback in the NFL, surpassing Nick Bosa’s average annual value of $34 million.
Of course, every penny of this contract has been well-earned by the three-time Pro Bowler. Jefferson has surpassed 1000 receiving yards in each of his four seasons, and he was named the Offensive Player of the Year in 2022 after leading the NFL in receptions and receiving yards.
The future in Minnesota was very shaky heading into the offseason, but now, the Vikings have their star receiver locked down for four more years, and they landed a pair of potential franchise cornerstones in the draft, selecting both J.J. McCarthy and Dallas Turner in the first round.
If we are going to point to a reason why the Jefferson contract took as long as it did to get completed, it likely was the Vikings’ situation at quarterback. Last offseason, Kirk Cousins was heading into the final year of his deal, and Minnesota had no real plan for the future in place.
That changed when Cousins left in free agency, thus forcing the Vikings to take assertive action at the position and make McCarthy the highest-selected QB in franchise history.
With Jefferson entering his age-25 season, there should be plenty of fantastic football in front of the young star. Now, he gets to live out those years in purple with the team that drafted him.
Jefferson’s new deal with keep him with the Vikings through the 2028 season.
Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho and managing editor of PurplePTSD.com. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys running, gaming, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. Check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken.