The Vikings’ FA Add Who Inspired Some “Shock” in Justin Jefferson
By this point, Justin Jefferson has been around a little while, so it’s notable when he’s surprised by one of the Vikings’ FA additions.
The receiver was drafted 22nd overall in the 2020 NFL Draft. Since then, the man has been a second-team All Pro a pair of times and a first-team All Pro once. He has won Offensive Player of the Year, been to a trio of Pro Bowls, and (somewhat controversially) finished as the runner up for Offensive Rookie of the Year. His initial four seasons, in short, have been historically great.
When the team’s top player is shocked, it qualifies as notable news.
Not too long ago, Kevin O’Connell was asked to reflect on the value of running backs in the NFL. The head coach brought things around to Jefferson, using the receiver’s reaction to illustrate the potential impact of the new running back: “When you talk to Justin Jefferson and you tell him we brought Aaron Jones aboard, his first reaction is he’s shocked because he didn’t think it would even be possible for us to bring [in] a guy like that.”
Apparently, Justin Jefferson was Shocked by One of the Vikings’ FA Adds
At this point, there has been some Aaron Jones hype.
The 29-year-old runner has spent his entire seven-year career in Wisconsin putting in work for the Packers. That is, of course, until roughly a month ago. Jones is now a Viking and he’s being tasked with kickstarting a humdrum rushing attack.
Last year, the runner was down to just eleven games since he had to overcome some injury troubles. His 142 carries turned into 656 rushing yards and a pair of ground touchdowns. Through the air, Jones was responsible for 30 catches, 233 receiving yards, and a single touchdown.
Whoever is passing the football — the leading contenders are Sam Darnold or a rookie QB — will benefit from having Jones in the backfield.
And then one thinks of the Jefferson component. The receiver reasonably demands a ton of defensive attention. Part of the thinking in Minnesota is that improving the run game will prompt defenses to think twice about loading up too much on #18.
Want to give disproportionate attention toward corralling Jefferson? Sure, be our guest, Jones is talented enough to run all over a defensive front with just six or seven men. Drop down an extra defender into the box to clog up a running lane? No problem, we’ll let Jefferson torch whichever overmatched corner is tasked with going toe-to-toe with the WR1.
Plus, there’s the presence of Jordan Addison, someone who seems likely to clear 1,000 receiving yards as long as the quarterback play is above average (by no means a foregone conclusion). And then once T.J. Hockenson is back, the skill will be nearly unmatched. Is there a team in the NFL with a better set of skill than Jones, Jefferson, Addison, and Hockenson?
In a lot of ways, the expectations are low for the Vikings in 2024. Quarterback uncertainty can do that. What’s irrefutable, though, is that the playmakers are abundant. A lot of rival defensive coordinators are going to have a lot of sleepless nights.
And then there’s the reality of Minnesota’s excellent defensive coordinator and then the pile of resources being poured into that side of the ball. Can those basic realities — ample skill and an improving defense — get complemented by competent QB play to push Minnesota toward a playoff season?
The actual reality of the 2024 season hasn’t arrived yet, so much remains to be determined. It is promising, though, that O’Connell foresees a major impact from Jones and that Jefferson was shocked to get the RB to Minnesota.
Editor’s Note: Information from Pro Football Reference helped with this piece.
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K. Joudry is the Senior Editor for Vikings Territory and PurplePTSD. He has been covering the Vikings full time since the summer of 2021. He can be found on Twitter and as a co-host for Notes from the North, a humble Vikings podcast.